Singing in the Moonlight
by FearlessinBlue
Summary: A year after the events of Sing everyone has grown from the budding stars that they used to be into expert performers. A new show is on the horizon and Meena and Johnny have been assigned a surprise duet. In the midst of practice the two power singers find themselves learning more about each other than they ever imagined. As their friendship grows and blooms so does something more.
1. Talk to Me, Baby

**Talk to Me, Baby**

"… _Let's get love on line. Baby can we talk sometime? Don't just drop me a line. Baby can we talk sometime…"_ Johnny's smooth voice echoed out over the stage as his nimble fingers danced lazily over the keys, coaxing the final notes from the ebony grand piano before him.

With the rebuilding of the theatre came a line of new equipment at their disposal. Nana had outright refused to let Johnny play the broken down piano held together by mere rope and copious amounts of duct tape. While Buster had been eager to accept the brand new equipment, Johnny had been nervous to even touch the instrument for fear of breaking it. But when Buster had announced that their little theatre family was going to showcase their talents in yet another show, Johnny had reconciled himself with sitting down on the cushy bench and taking the grand for a test ride. He had already practiced his song extensively on the old piano with Ms. Crawley but this ne wpiano was a whole new ball game. His heart was racing as he began to play. Almost immediately he found himself lost in the feel of the keys beneath his fingers and the music that flowed through him like a river. When he finally opened his eyes and came back down to Earth he found all of his friends watching him with a mix of amusement and amazement. Buster was the only one to give him a smug smile before wandering off, his head buried in his clipboard. Everyone else had rushed over to sing his praises and Johnny glowed under their attention despite his humble protests.

With his father and uncles still in prison awaiting their respective sentencing hearings Johnny often found himself alone in the cavernous garage that was usually filled with the familiar smell of cigars and the raucous laughter of his father as he schooled his brothers in poker for the millionth time. Now that the building was silent and echoed with every sound that Johnny made. It made him extremely uncomfortable and as a result he spent most everyday at the theatre helping with odd jobs and perfecting his piece for the show. At this point he knew it forwards, backwards and even sideways but he still had the nagging feeling that something was missing.

Johnny was pulled from his thoughts as sweet Rosita wrapped her short arms around his shoulders and squeezed. Johnny smiled bashfully up at Rosita who was beaming so hard he was sure her face would break apart.

"I'm so proud of you honey!" she squealed and hugged him again, "You really are so talented." she gave him a motherly kiss on the forehead before stepping back to let Gunther babble at him in his own unique way. Ash punched his arm just enough to be solid without hurting him and smirked when he pretended to be injured by the blow.

"Show off." Ash muttered playfully before ambling over to Rosita and the pair retreated to the practice area. Gunther let out a few more exclamations of admiration before dancing off to the back as well.

Johnny looked up when he heard something move across the body of the grand piano. Meena was shyly running her large hand over the smooth surface, awe sparkling in her baby blues. Johnny lept up from his seat, making the bench rock with the sudden movement. Johnny quickly steadied it before turning to give Meena a friendly smile. Meena let out a soft giggle and then looked shyly down at the piano surface one more.

" 'Ey Meena what's up?" He asked the shy elephant, taking a step closer to her.

Meena blushed as soon as he spoke and pulled her ears in close to her face reflexively. "That was beautiful Johnny." she said softly and gave him a shy smile that made his own grin grow wider.

"Oh it was nuffin'" Johnny scratched the back of his neck bashfully and shifted his feet uncomfortably.

"I wish I could play the piano like you or the guitar like Ash." Meena woefully ran her hand over the instrument before letting out a heavy sigh and shoving her hands in the pocket of her faded blue sweatshirt. She scuffed her shoe on the stage and then began to walk away off stage and down the aisle towards the exit. Johnny watched her make it to the door before he shook himself into action. He leapt off of the stage and went running after the elephant.

"Meena!" he called out as she opened the front door. Meena froze, the door half open, letting in the cool autumn breeze. Johnny screeched to a halt in front of her and she looked at him in surprise, her ears flared out curiously.

"I could teach ya if ya want." he said a little breathlessly and Meena frowned in confusion.

"Teach me what?" she asked and Johnny let out a small chuckle as he cauht his breath and looked up at her with sincerity warming his chocolate eyes.

"Piano! Ms. Crawley taught me everythin' she knows and I'm free pretty much anytime. It wouldn't be any trouble." he looked down as his nerves caught up with him, "I mean if ya wanna that is."

He assumed the worse when his proposal was met with silence but a few seconds later he was being enveloped by a pair of large, warm arms. He blinked in shock and slowly brought his long arms up to embrace Meena.

After a few seconds Meena jumped back, her face as red as a tomato. "That would be great Johnny. Thank you." she muttered and looked up at him through her lashes. He had grown alot since they had first met a year ago, and was now closer to his dad's height, which made him only slightly taller than her.

"Sure thin'" he cleared his throat as he recovered from the surprise embrace and brushed imaginary lint off of his leather jacket. "So when should we start?"

"I'm free after work tomorrow. Around noon." Meena said quietly, looking anywhere but Johnny. Her embarrassment was painfully obvious with one look at her ruddy cheeks but Johnny pretended not to notice.

"Perfect. I'll pick ya up. Where do ya work?" Meena's blush immediately deepened and she looked down, mumbling something unintelligible.

Johnny tried and failed to understand what she said. He put a hand under her chin and gently lifted her face so that she was looking at him. Her blue eyes were wide with nerves and her ears were pulled in as close to her face as she could get them. Johnny smiled reassuringly and gesured for her to repeat herself.

"Sunrise Bakery." she breathed out just loud enough for him to hear. Johnny grinned and released her shin, stepping back to give her the breathing space that she obviously needed.

"I'll clock ya tomorra." he winked and began walking back into the theatre, hands in his pockets. Absentmindedly, he was whistling the tune to the song he had just finished playing. When he glanced back at the entrance to the theatre he caught a glimpse of Meena stumbling slightly as she hurried home in the light of the sunset.

He smiled as he watched her go but frowned once he realized how late it was getting. Buster would be closing the theatre soon.

He helped everyone clean up backstage and when every job was done they all began to file out of the front one by one. Rosita was first out, her purse slung over her shoulder. She hurried down the sidewalk, meticulously studying her grocery list and muttering to herself as she added to it.

In the year that they had been friends Johnny had come to see Rosita as a sort of mother figure. She always brought snacks to rehearsals and made sure that everyone was well taken care of. he almost felt bad about lying to her about not really having a family to go home to but he knew that if he told her she would just worry about him, and she had twenty-five piglets and a husband to worry about first.

Ms. Crawley was next, hobbling down the street towards her nearby apartment. She cheerily waved goodbye to Johnny and he chuckled as he watched her amble away. The kind hearted old lizard had taken him under her wing when he needed it most and despite her scatter brain and tendency to lose her glass eye she was full of wisdom that Johnny tried to soak up whenever he could get a solid sentence out of her.

Gunther came bouncing down the stairs in his gold sequin tracksuit, headphones over his ears and techno music blasting so loud that Johnny could hear it. He gave Johnny a thumbs up and then danced off to god knows where, his duffle bag thrown over his body diagonally. Johnny shook his head. The funny little pig was always ready for a good time and never seemed to lose his positive upbeat attitude. He always knew how to bring Johnny's mood up when he needed a boost.

Finally Ash trudged down the steps, already yawning as she lugged her guitar case along with her. She gave Johnny a sloppy salute and began making her way to the subway station. Her caffeine high had long since faded and without another dose she looked ready to pass out. Johnny waved her off, hoping that she wouldn't fall asleep on the train. It wouldn't be the first time.

Johnny looked around in suprise when he heard the loud roar of a sports car's engine as it sped past. He shook his head when he saw that the driver was a Buffalo rather than the snarky white mouse that he had been expecting. No one had heard anything from Mike since after their first show. He had disappeared off of the planet without a trace. Johnny shook his head to banish thoughts of the little nuisance that had golden pipes but only brought trouble.

He caught sight of Buster locking up the theatre for the night and the two exchanged smiles and waves before the koala locked the doors and retreated back into his precious theatre. Johnny wasn't completely sure if he was still sleeping in his desk or if he was staying with Eddie still but he hadn't seen the sheep stagehand exit the theatre that night so the two of them had to be together. Buster Moon had become a mentor and a strong supporter of Johnny's talents in the time that they had been working together and Johnny felt an almost constant need to make the koala proud of him and his musical talents. They were all he had left to count on.

Johnny shrugged off his current train of thought and retrieved his skateboard from where he stashed it in the alley. He took a running start before throwing the board down onto the sidewalk and hopping onto it. Expertly he skated through town towards his home. A city bus passed him and his thoughts turned to Meena who was probably on a bus somewhere heading home.

While everyone else was like family to him and he cherished every moment that they were together, Meena was….special. She made his heart flutter when she spoke and when she sang he was mesmerized. She was sweet and caring but rather shy. He couldn't help but stumble over himself when she was around and he deeply wished to dive beneath her shy mask and get to know the beautiful elephant for who she really was.

He sighed wistfully as he rolled up to the dark building that was his current home. Everything was silent except for his steps as he trudged up the stairs to his room above the garage and collapsed in his bed. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling in contemplation.

He missed his theatre family. He missed his dad and his uncles. And he missed Meena. Desperate to escape the overwhelming quiet of the garage, Johnny sighed and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep. After hours of trying, tossing and turning in his sheets, and changing into his fuzzy pajama pants and tank top Johnny still couldnt find solace in sleep.

 _ **Another sleepless night under the stars**_. He thought as he stared up at the full moon in the sky.

 _ **With only the moon to talk to.**_


	2. Talking to the Moon

The next day Johnny rolled out of bed around eight and shuffled into his bathroom to get ready for the day. He sleepily stared himself down in the mirror as he lazily brushed his teeth. His eyes were kinda red and he was starting to get bags under his eyes but it wasn't anything too noticeable. Once he had freshened up and was dressed in his signature jeans, t-shirt, and leather jacket he wandered down the stairs to the makeshift kitchen in the back of the shop. He opened the fridge and let out a loud groan. The bare shelves were scattered with old takeout and ROAR! energy drinks, neither of which sounded too appealing to him. At that moment his body chose to remind him that he was surviving on a grand total of 4 hours of sleep by forcing out a huge yawn.

Johnny shrugged, grabbed an energy drink out of the fridge and opened it. He chugged half of the can as he walked over to where his old black truck was parked. He pulled up the garage door and then got in. With a turn of the key the great engine roared to life and the truck shook slightly with the force of the engine before Johnny shifted it into gear and drove it just outside the garage. The radio was already on at half volume as soon as he turned on the car and the DJ was babbling about some events going on in the music world. Johnny put his truck in park and let it idle as he jumped up and grabbed the handle on the garage door and pulled it down. When the heavy door hit the ground he pulled a padlock out from his jacket and quickly secured it so that no one could get into the garage while he was gone. Johnny pocketed the key and jogged back to the truck, checking his watch to make sure that he had enough time to get to the theatre.

He got in just as a soft piano melody accompanied by guitar came through the speakers of his truck and a man began to sing:

" _At night when the stars light up my room_

 _I sit by myself…"_

Johnny blinked in surprise at how accurate the lyrics were to his experience last night, and he quickly turned up the volume until it consumed every inch of space in the cab of the truck. Dazedly he put the truck in drive and began driving to the theatre, his attention only half on the road and the other half on the lyrics that struck him like an arrow.

" _Talking to the moon_

 _Trying to get to you_

 _In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too_

 _Or am I a fool, who sits alone, talking to the moon?"_

With that last word, the song moved to a piano break. Just before the singer came back Johnny's arm shot out and pressed the button that shut off the radio. The colorful display went dark immediately but the ghost of the melody still danced around in his brain, taunting him. He rolled down all of the windows in order to banish it with the onslaught of the noises of the city. The honking and the hum of the other cars around him did nothing to banish that annoying little melody that made his heart hurt.

He pulled up to the theatre frustrated and drained. All he could think about was another night alone. As soon as he went home there would be no one there. And nightfall was inevitable. The garage was always waiting when he got back…empty and unchanged. Johnny chugged down the rest of the energy drink and jumped out of the truck. He locked the doors and trudged into the theatre, his head down and his hands shoved in his pockets. When Moon greeted him cheerily just like usual, Johnny mustered up a smile and made his way up the stairs to Moon's office.

He shook his head in rueful amusement when he saw the mess of papers that were waiting for him on the desk. He pulled a stool over to the desk and began sorting through the absolute mess that lay before him.

It was around 10:30 when he finally stood up and walked out of the office. He couldn't stare at those numbers for another second or he might lose it. He walked down the stairs to the practice rooms where the others were immersed in their rehearsals.

Ash was sitting on the floor of her practice room, writing furiously on a sheet of lyrics, trying to perfect her latest song. She looked so deep in her work that Johnny didn't dare disturb her for fear of her wrath. She knew exactly how to use her quills to inflict pain when she wanted to. He had learned that from experience. He flinched away in reflex as he remembered the fury on her face and high tailed it towards where Rosita and Gunther were practicing their new dance.

They looked flawless as always but knowing Rosita she would accept nothing except for protection, and Gunther was always game to dance around. Johnny gave them both a small wave when they saw him. Rosita's gaze narrowed in on him and she took a step towards the door.

Sensing a motherly concern moment coming on Johnny jogged away towards the concessions stand where he found solace in the drink vending machine. He struggled with smoothing out his extremely crumpled dollar for a few minutes before he deemed it flat enough to be accepted by the overly finicky machine. He slid the dollar in through the slot and the machine accepted it for a second before spitting it back out again. Johnny groaned in disappointment and once again went about straightening his slightly crumpled dollar.

After about five more tries the machine finally took his money and he was faced with a harrowing choice. He could go with the water bottle that made his parched mouth water or he could choose from the assortment of ROAR! flavors that the machine carried. He began yawning uncontrollably and decided that being conscious for his lesson with Meena was more important than his thirst. Besides he could get a drink of water later. Satisfied that his reasoning was sound, he punched in the code for Screamin' Strawberry ROAR!. He was just taking his first sip when someone cleared their throat behind him.

He spun around to find Rosita watching him with a disapproving frown on her face. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she stared him down. He stood frozen with the drink pressed to his lips, eyes wide and petrified. He had never seen a mom look quite this powerful before and to be honest he was terrified of the pig who was about a third of his size.

"What do you think you're doing young man?" she asked in a serious tone and Johnny, who was feeling a little bold in that moment, took a sip of the energy drink. He swore that he saw Rosita's eyes light on fire her fury was so tangible.

"Johnathan!" She yelled and held out her hand for the drink. Reluctantly, he handed it to her and mournfully watched as she stomped over to a trashcan and threw it away angrily.

"Aw Rosita tha' cost me a dollar." he mumbled but didn't dare look her in the eye when she approached him.

"Well then you wasted your money Johnny. Those things are terrible for you!" she scolded him and he looked down at the ground in shame. She led him over to a nearby bench and sat him down next to her.

"What's going on Johnny? You seem down today. And you look a little thin." She started fussing with his shirt and he let her in an attempt to avoid answering the questions. She wasn't fooled and instead pinned him with a piercing mom look. He sighed and caved a little bit while desperately searching his exhausted brain for a solution.

"It's nuffin' Rosita we just ain't been uh, shoppin' in a lil' while." he mumbled and checked his watch. It was only 11:00 but maybe he could go to the bakery a little early.

"Well why don't I take you and your father shopping later? I can give you some great meal ideas." she began gushing about her recipe ideas and Johnny immediately tensed up. He hadn't had the courage to tell anyone that his father was the infamous gang leader Big Daddy. Johnny didn't want or need their pity and he definitely didn't want them to look at him differently because he was the son of a criminal. He wanted to be judged for his voice, not his father's actions. He was his own gorilla.

"Oh tha' sounds super fun Rosita but uh, I'm gonna tutor Meena tonight and I'm late. Gotta go!" Johnny said quickly as he leapt up from his seat and sped out the doors of his theatre to his truck. He got into his car just as Rosita burst out the doors of the theatre in hot pursuit. Before she could even take a step towards him he was speeding off down the street. He tried hard not to look back but he couldn't help but glance back in his mirror. He only caught a glance of Rosita's worried face as she stood in front of the theatre.

Johnny forced himself to turn his attention back to the road as he sped through the streets with no particular destination in mind. His mind ambled along just like his route and he found himself driving on autopilot. The radio began to play the song that had been stalking him once again and Johnny found himself too tired to change the song or turn of the radio.

He easily got sucked into the easy melody and the striking lyrics. Near the end of the song he even found himself singing along to the chorus. He let the song guide his hand and his mind automatically began directing him to an unknown destination. As the last notes of the song faded out and DJ came back on the radio, he came to a stop in front of a small shop.

The shop was obviously family-owned and an old wooden sign above the door was painted with swirling red and orange letters that spelled out 'Sunrise Bakery'. Johnny got out of the truck and slowly walked up to the front of the shop. The windows were stuffed with a variety of tasty treats that made his poor empty stomach growl.

Johnny winced as his body chose that moment to realize that he hadn't eaten in a day or so. His passive stomach had transformed into a growling, aching beast that was nearly impossible to ignore. It was even worse when he opened the door to the shop and was immediately assaulted by the sweet smell of fresh baked goods. The smell only made his stomach growl louder. He covered up his stomach as if that would conceal the noises that it was making but the elderly capybara at the counter let out a chuckle.

Johnny blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment when she called out to him in her shaky voice. "Come here young man. Let's get you some goodies." Johnny hurried over to the counter as the older woman disappeared into the back for a few minutes. He sat down on one of the cushy stools nearby the counter and took the time to look around the old-fashioned bakery. There were exquisite looking goodies everywhere he looked and he began to wonder where the old capybara had disappeared to. He heard hushed voices coming from the back where the kitchen was but since he couldn't make them out he resumed his examination. In the display case in front if him was an assortment of muffins and cupcakes, all lined up perfectly and obviously decorated by hand. He was eying up a yellow cupcake with very light blue frosting when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He spun around to greet the old capybara woman but instead came face to face with Meena.

As soon as she looked up from the tray that she was carrying her cheeks turned bright red and she pulled her ears in close to her face. "Johnny!" she squeaked out in surprise and subsequently lost her grip on the tray. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her hard work hit the ground, and definitely not wanting to see Johnny's reaction to her clumsiness. When she didn't hear the clatter of the metal pan on the tile floor she peeked open one eye. Johnny had dove across the counter and caught the falling tray just in time. He smiled up at her and handed her back the tray with a sweet, lopsided grin on his face.

"Careful Meena, you're carryin' precious cargo." He joked and she felt her tense muscles relax a little at his words.

"Th-thanks Johnny. I uh… you're early." she stumbled a little over her own tongue but Johnny didn't seem to notice or care. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and looked away at the cupcake case.

"Oh! Uh yeah… I just needed ter get away from the bloomin' theatre. Rosita was bein' a lil'… suffocatin'." Meena immediately empathized with the gorilla. There had been many a time when Rosita's mom instincts had come out a little too strongly when she was trying to encourage Meena to step out into the spotlight. Even after a year Meena was still painfully shy in any and all social interactions. She sang well enough on stage when she was able to lose herself in the performance and ignore the crowd but beforehand she still had to be coaxed a little. While everyone else handled their newfound fame quite gracefully, Meena avoided reporters like the plague and only gave interviews when they weren't live.

"Believe me I understand." she grumbled as she set the tray down on the counter and began putting away the red velvet cupcakes that adorned it. Johnny's laugh broke her from her reverie and she blinked as the wonderful sound filled the shop.

"I betcha do." He chuckled and Meena's chest was suddenly filled with a weird fluttering feeling. She realized that she was staring at Johnny and quickly resumed her task of restocking the cupcake case.

"So uh wot is good 'ere? I'm kinda starved." his stomach growled loudly and Meena let out a little giggle when he turned red and covered his stomach with his hands.

"Sounds like it." she grabbed a small plate from the rack behind her and placed one of the yellow and blue cupcakes that he had been eying earlier on it. "I uh, made these an hour ago. They're my favorite." She put the plate down in front of him and bit her lip nervously as he excitedly inspected the cupcake before picking it up and taking a huge bite out of it.

Johnny immediately groaned in appreciation and Meena's nervous look turned into an overjoyed smile. Johnny looked up at her in amazement and Meena flushed once more but this time her ears stayed open and away from her face. She was flattered.

"This is amazin'! Ya made this?" he asked incredulously and Meena nodded her confirmation.

"I didn't kna that ya could bake." he gushed and took another bite of cupcake. This time a small bit of blue frosting smeared across the top of his lip and Meena couldn't help but laugh at how cute he looked. She handed the sheepish gorilla a napkin and leaned against the counter so that she was closer to him.

"My mom taught me when I was a little girl and I've been baking away ever since." she absentmindedly wiped at an imaginary spot of the counter with a washcloth. She didn't want to look like she wasn't working but she didn't want to stop talking with Johnny. It was easy to talk to Johnny. She liked talking to him because he made her feel safe. She could do just about anything and he would be there with a smile just for her.

"Tha's awesome. I've never made anythin' loike this before. Well, besides microwaved meals and cereal." They both laughed and Johnny leaned in too so that the two of them were face to face. "Wots the flavor this cupcake anyway?"

"Oh! That's our lemon blueberry cupcake with lemon cream cheese frosting." she watched as he gobbled the rest of the cupcake down eagerly.

"Fantastic!" he praised it once again and then they launched into a conversation about her cooking history, favorite recipes, etc. Before they knew it time had passed and the clock on the wall struck eleven with a loud ringing noise that startled both of them. Meena jerked back and collided with the counter with Johnny jumped clear out of his seat and slipped off of the stool. When Meena recovered from the shock of the noise she disappeared into the back to find her boss to make sure that she was all set to leave.

As soon as Mrs. Peterson saw her she swatted her away from the dishes and gently pushed her back towards the doorway. "You're all set to go Meena dear. Now you go and have fun with that handsome young man of yours." she said with a wink and Meena's entire face turned bright red. She sputtered out an indiscernible reply and made a hasty retreat out of the kitchen. The old capybara just shook her head with a chuckle and resumed the dishes.

When Meena came back to where she had left Johnny he was dusting himself off from his fall. Mean felt her face burn even hotter as she remembered her boss's words as the echoed through her mind, taunting her and making her blush uncontrollably.

Johnny looked up from his clothes when he heard Meena come back in. She took off the white apron that she was wearing, hung it up on a hook, and then grabbed her bag before coming around from behind the counter and joining him in the store. For the first time, Johnny realized that for the first time, besides performances, he was seeing Meena in something other than her jeans and old blue sweatshirt. She was wearing khaki pants and an orange, yellow and red tie-dyed t-shirt. She looked cute.

Johnny held the door open for her as they left the bakery and then made sure to open the truck door for her like the gentleman that he was. She blushed when he did so and timidly sat down in the spacious cab of the truck. Johnny then rushed around to his side and hopped into his truck. He started up the vehicle and pulled away from the curb. Meena occasionally gave him directions until they had left the city center behind and were driving through the surrounding suburbs.

When they finally arrived, Johnny parked in front of the small yellow house and hurried out of the truck so that he could hold Meena's door for her again. As the two walked up to the house he stared at it in awe. It wasn't much but it was like nothing he had ever had before. Ever since he could remember he had been living in a cramped apartment above the garage. Meena pulled out a small key chain and unlocked the front door. When he walked in after her, Johnny decided that he like the inside of the house even more. There were family photos everywhere he looked and everything was gently worn and well loved. The house even smelled like a home should. There was a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen that made Johnny's mouth water. Meena went into the kitchen to say hello to her family and Johnny stayed behind to look at the photos of his friend and her family. There were so many but Johnny savored each one. There were tons of Meena at every stage of her life. Infancy, adolescence, her graduation from high school, and finally the opening day picture of them all in front of the Moon Theatre.

Johnny closely examined each photo and when he looked at all of them he turned around to find Meena. He jumped and let out a loud yell when he found himself face to face with an older male elephant. He was glaring coldly at Johnny and seemed to be looking him over from behind his glasses.

"Who are you boy?" the old man asked gruffly and Johnny stood at attention, ramrod straight with wide eyes.

"Mah name is Johnny sir." he said nervously and gulped desperately, his throat suddenly dry in the face of that intimidating glare.

"Hmmm." The elephant suddenly leaned in close enough that Johnny could feel his steely gaze drilling holes straight through him.

"So you want to date my Meena huh?" he asked and Johnny choked on his words for a second before he began to protest.

"No! Uh I mean it ain't loike that. I'm just uh, teachin' her piano." he felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead and for a second he glanced back at the front door and he considered making a speedy escape before he was mauled by his friend's grandfather.

"Grandpa!" Meena's admonishing shout saved him from having to make that decision as she reentered the room with her mother close behind.

"Oh leave the poor boy alone." Meena's grandmother glared at her husband. Meena's grandfather just huffed and hobbled out of the room towards the living room where the TV was waiting for him. Johnny let out a sigh of relief and his body relaxed for a second before he was swept into a tight hug.

Meena's grandmother gave him a squeeze that nearly cut off his air supply but just when he felt like he was going to suffocate she released him and clapped excitedly.

"Oh honey I'm so happy to meet you! Meena's always talking about you and her other friends down at the theatre." she winked at him and Johnny smiled nervously.

"Grandma." Meena gritted out, obviously embarrassed, but her grandmother waved her off with a laugh and started backing up towards the kitchen.

"I'll let you two crazy kids get to it." with that she disappeared and Meena took Johnny's arm and all but dragged the startled gorilla to her room. She shut the door and rested her forehead against it for a few seconds in shame. Meena sucked in a breath and bravely turned around to face whatever Johnny had to say about her crazy family, but to her surprise he was admiring her record collection as if nothing weird had happened at all.

"Um… the piano is right here." she got his attention and gestured to the old piano that was up against the wall in her room. Johnny sat down on one end of the bench and patted the space next to him for her. Meena nervously sat next to him as he launched straight into the lesson.

"Let's get started shall we? The first fin' that I'm gonna go over 're basic scales and notes." Meena watched avidly as his long fingers danced over the keys and the piano immediately responded with the corresponding notes. He did it quickly a couple times so that she could get the hang of how it was supposed to sound before he broke it down individually and taught her each part. After about 45 minutes Meena seemed confident enough to go about the scales on her own so Johnny got up from the bench and sat on her bed so that she could do the scales all by herself. He relaxed against her pillows as he listened to her timid scales. With each round she got more and more confident and Johnny found himself doing slightly against her pillows. He adjusted to get more comfortable and desperately tried to keep his eyes open but he was fighting a losing battle. He was so warm and comfortable and his surroundings were a salve to his lonely soul. Everything in Meena's house was so full of warmth and life and for the first time in a long time he felt safe enough to let his guard down.

His last sight before his eyes closed and he was sucked into the darkness was Meena's form as she sat at the piano, determinedly playing the piano. He could just make out her face from the side, her concentrated look, and the sparkle in her blue eyes.

And then suddenly he was **falling, falling, falling.**


	3. Fallin'

He was pulled out of sleep slowly, and despite how he fought consciousness he soon found himself blinking sleepily at the faded violet fabric that his face had been pressed into. Johnny groaned in begrudging acceptance of the fact that he was awake and going to stay that way. He rolled over and sighed as the soft mattress he was laying on sucked him in and the plush blanket that encompassed him filled his nostrils with a subtle flowery scent. He closed his eyes in an effort to find the escape of sleep once more but a thought kept wiggling in his brain, keeping him awake. Johnny inhaled deeply and let the pleasant scent clinging to the blanket overwhelm his senses. His sleep-fogged brain registered the scent as familiar but he couldn't quite place where it was from. His old mattress had never been this comfortable, and since when was his pillow purple?

Johnny's eyes shot open as the realization hit him like semi truck to the chest. He scrambled out of Meena's bed so fast that he almost fell all over her bedroom floor, but luckily he caught himself at the last moment. Meena's bed. He shook himself and looked around the room for his friend whose bed he had taken over for who knows how long. The room was empty and the only light in the room was coming from the fading rays of sunlight as the sun receded over the horizon.

Cursing himself for falling asleep while he was supposed to be teaching Meena piano, Johnny straightened out his crinkled clothes and began his search through the halls for Meena. The sound of the TV echoed from the living room where Johnny found Meena's grandfather snoring loudly while her grandmother busied herself with knitting something. Meena's grandmother noticed him in the doorway and motioned towards the kitchen with a smile. Johnny nodded his thanks and tiptoed to the doorway into the kitchen. As he got closer his senses became overwhelmed with the delicious smells of food cooking and the exquisite sound of Meena's angelic voice. He slowed his approach and stopped in the doorway to watch as Meena moved around the kitchen, busily preparing what looked like dinner and singing along with the small radio that rested on the counter.

" _Oh, Baby_

 _I, I, I, I'm fallin'_

 _I, I, I, I'm fallin'_

 _Fall_

 _I keep on fallin'_

 _In and out of love with you_

 _I never loved someone_

 _The way that I love you"_

Meena matched the pitch of the artist on the radio perfectly as she stirred the steaming pot on the stove. She was oblivious to the world around her, too wrapped up in the music to notice him watching her in the entryway. Johnny relaxed against the doorframe and smiled as he let Meena's smooth voice mesmerize him as usual. He never failed to be amazed by the strong voice that the young elephant had and how naturally she was able to make anything she sang his favorite song. Comforted by the combination of the music and the smell of good cooking Johnny finally felt at peace. He was in his friends warm home, actual food was cooking in the kitchen, and Meena was singing. He could stay in that moment forever, but the universe had other plans.

Meena sang the chorus as she turned down the heat and removed the pot from the stove. She placed it on some nearby hot pads where it would cool down enough for them to eat. The tempo of the music rose as the song reached its end and Meena really let all of her attention focus on the lyrics and the rhythm that filled the room. She danced around a little bit, swinging her hips as much as she could in the kitchen that was obviously not built for an elephant. Johnny stepped farther into the kitchen, his eyes glued to Meena as she belted out the last repetition of the chorus.

She spun around as she did so and both animals froze as they took in each other. Johnny smiled that lopsided grin of his and Meena immediately turned pink. Despite her embarrassment she finished the song, all while bashfully staring up at Johnny.

 _I'm fallin'_

 _In and out of love with you_

 _I never loved someone_

 _The way that I love you_

Johnny moved closer to her as the high energy beat suddenly faded into the soft sounds of various strings instruments. The two just stared at each other, caught up in the spell that the music created. Johnny cautiously reached up and gently pushed Meena's ears away from her face where she was desperately trying to hide her blush. Despite herself the blush continued to spread and brighten. Johnny didn't care; he thought that the elephant looked cute when she was blushing.

"Tha' was amazin' Meena." he said quietly as his hand brushed her face ever so slightly. He was afraid that the slightest sound, the slightest movement, would ruin this moment and he couldn't bear the thought.

"Thanks Johnny." Meena said a little breathlessly, and looked down at the ground in an effort to stave off her embarrassment. But Johnny wouldn't allow it and with a gentle strength he lifted her head back up so that she was looking at him once more, her cheek cupped in his large hand. Johnny leaned forward and his mouth opened just slightly in a way that made Meena's heart pound like a jackhammer in her chest.

The spell was shattered as Meena's grandfather called from the living room, "Meena! When is dinner gonna be ready girl? I'm hungry!" Johnny immediately stepped back and felt himself start to blush as well. Before either of them could say anything the oven began to beep insistently. Johnny took the opportunity and took out the tray of biscuits while Meena called back to her grandfather.

"Just a few more minutes Grandpa!" She said loudly and there was a grunt of approval from the living room. Suddenly all of the noises and the things around them came rushing back into the forefront of Johnny's mind. The song had ended and now the DJ was babbling on about some events going on around town with his cohost. The blare of the TV leaked in from the living room and the sounds of the night snuck in through the window. His quiet moment with Meena was gone, and life began intruding once more. Johnny set the tray on the hot rack laid out for it and admired the perfectly shaped biscuits that rested on it. Now that he was closer to the pot he could see that it was some kind of soup that he had never seen before, but the mere sight of it made his stomach growl.

He and Meena avoided each other's gaze as he helped her dish out the food and carry it into the dining room. When everything had been completely set up, Meena disappeared into the living room to gather her grandparents. Johnny took that time to look around at the table and marvel at the fact that he was actually sitting down to a home-cooked family dinner. He was used to take out and plastic ware pretty much everyday of his life, even when his father and uncles had been around. None of them knew how to cook nor did they have the drive to learn how. Johnny shook his head to dispel the memories that threatened to take over his mind. He didn't want to be sad right now, he wanted to enjoy the food that Meena had made as well as the company of her family.

Just then, Meena's grandfather hobbled into the room. He looked Johnny over for what felt like a year before grunting and settling down in his seat at the head of the table. Meena followed, leading her grandma into the room and over to her chair. The frail old elephant smiled gratefully up at her granddaughter once she was seated and Meena patted her shoulder affectionately. Johnny followed Meena's lead and sat on the opposite side of the table from her Grandma, Meena securely between Johnny and her Grandfather, for his own protection. Johnny couldn't help but notice that the place next to Meena's grandma was set but not occupied and for the first time since he had arrived at the home, Johnny wondered where Meena's mother was.

He was about to ask when Meena's hand took his and all other thoughts besides the fact that he was holding her hand quickly fled from his mind. He looked up at her in surprise and Meena smiled bashfully as she nodded towards her grandma who was reaching across the table for Johnny's other hand. The young gorilla quickly took her hand and watched curiously as everyone else bowed their heads. Johnny quickly followed their example but kept one eye open to peek up at the family as they said grace. The prayer had obviously been said many times because everyone recited it in near unison. Johnny didn't even try to act like he knew the words, and instead listened carefully as the small family thanked God for their meal, for each other, and surprisingly for him. When Meena's grandfather in particular thanked their God for Johnny and his presence in their home that night, Johnny felt his heart swell up in his chest and a smile work its way over his face. When the prayer ended, everyone quickly released each other's hands, Johnny rather reluctantly.

There were a few moments of silence as everyone dug into their meal and Johnny swallowed a heaping spoonful of vegetables and broth. The flavor exploded on his tongue and his eyes widened as he looked down at his bowl. The soup tasted amazing and the kick of spice that stuck around and made his tongue tingle was a new sensation that he found he rather enjoyed.

He quickly swallowed this first bite and went in for more, devouring the soup with gusto. He only stopped when he heard a soft giggle from next to him. Johnny sheepishly looked up at Meena who was watching him with a smug smile on her sweet face.

"I take it you like the soup?" she prodded and Johnny felt his face heat up as he chuckled nervously and smiled.

"I loike it a lot. I've never 'ad anythin' so tasty in aw me life." He gushed and just like that Meena was the one blushing. The two quickly looked away from each other and back to their dinner, the awkwardness from their ruined moment was still lingering in the air. Meena's Grandfather chose that moment to speak.

"So young man." Johnny immediately tensed up at the words young man. "What are your intentions towards my Meena?" Meena gaped in horror at her grandfather and Johnny choked on the soup that he was eating. He coughed loudly and beat his fist against his chest in an effort to loosen up the food that he had practically inhaled. When he finally stopped coughing, Meena was glaring at her grandfather with as much ire as she could muster but the old elephant remained unfazed.

"I uh… I'm just teachin' 'er 'a ter play the piano," his accent thickened as his nervousness mounted, "W-we're jus' friends."

"I don't see why you wouldn't want to be with my granddaughter. She's gorgeous and she's got the voice of an angel!" He pounds this fist on the table to make his point and Johnny nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Grandpa!" Meena protested but her grandfather ignored her as he pinned Johnny down with his hard gaze.

"'Eaven and 'ell it's not that I don't fin' she's beautiful. She's fantastic! And 'er voice is the best I've ever 'eard…." he trailed off as everyone's gaze turned to him, even Meena, who was trying to hide her surprise under her lingering mortification. They sat in silence for a few minutes before it was broken by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Meena's mother shuffled in seconds later, still dressed in a dirty waitress uniform. He tired face lit up when she saw her family and suddenly her tired form was once more filled with energy.

"Well thanks for waiting everybody!" she joked and the tension was immediately broken. Meena jumped up from her seat and hugged her mother before rushing off to retrieve food for her.

"Oooh my girl has been cookin' again." Meena's mom chuckled as she took a deep breath and sighed happily. Johnny jumped up from his seat and moved around the table to greet Meena's mother. They had met briefly after various shows throughout the time that he had known Meena, but Johnny had never formally introduced himself.

"'Ello Mrs. Jones. I'm Johnny. It's very nice ter meet ya." Meena's mom laughed at his attempt at a formal introduction and instead of taking his outstretched hand she pulled him into a tight hug. Johnny remained surprised by the impromptu embrace for a bit before he recovered enough to awkwardly hug her back.

"You can call me Leslie." She said warmly, smiling brightly at him. Johnny smiled back and quickly pulled Leslie's chair out for her. She smiled at her parents as he pushed in her chair. "What a gentleman this boy is," she whispered not so subtly to her mother who nodded eagerly and patted her daughter's hand. Her father just harrumphed and went back to his soup.

Meena returned with a large bowl for her mother and then she and Johnny took their seats once more. The mood at the table changed immediately with the addition of Meena's mother. It was like a missing piece had been returned to make the family whole and now they openly joked and chatted about their day. Leslie regaled them with stories about interesting customers and a few odd regulars that made Johnny laugh so hard he had to put down his glass of water so he wouldn't choke on it. They stayed at the table long after they had finished off the food and kept talking. At one point while Meena's grandfather was ranting about his favorite soap opera Johnny noticed Leslie hiding a jaw-cracking yawn but he decided not to say anything when she perked right back up and made a snarky comment to her father.

Eventually the grandparents moved to the living room to watch the news and Meena, Johnny, and Leslie began cleaning up after the meal. Meena and Johnny were assigned dish duty while Meena's mother went to get changed into her pajamas. Meena filled their large sink with warm water and a crazy amount of bubbles. Johnny shed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He turned to playfully ask Meena if she had enough bubbles in the sink but the words died in his mouth when he saw that Meena had taken off her usual blue sweatshirt to reveal a simple but elegant lavender top with short sleeves and a flowing bottom. Johnny quickly recovered himself before she could notice him staring. Maybe if he didn't make a big deal out of it she would remove her jacket more often.

They fell into a very efficient system of Meena washing and Johnny rinsing and drying. They worked in companionable silence for a bit before Johnny leaned over with a soft smile and said, "Ya look pretty like that. Ya should leef your jacket off more often."

His comment was met with silence and just when he was starting to panic that he had somehow offended her he was hit in the face with a splash of water and mound of bubbles that latched onto his hair. Johnny looked at Meena in shock and then let out a bark of laughter that morphed into a round of uncontrollable chuckles. He stopped up some bubbles from the mass that was left in the sink and threw them back at Meena.

She squeaked in surprise when he attacked and the bubbles hit her square in the trunk. She gaped back at him as the bubbles slid down her trunk and onto the floor.

"Oh it's so on now!" she grinned and began throwing handfuls of bubbles at him, her musical laugh filling the room. Johnny was quick to respond and soon joined her in throwing bubbles, his deep laugh joining hers as it echoed in the small kitchen. When the soap began to dwindle they took to just smearing each other with whatever bubbles they could still find.

It was only when they were left with the dishwater and no more bubbles that they took a moment to try to breathe through their infectious laughter. Bubbles were littered throughout Johnny's spiked hair and Meena's trunk had a healthy coating as well. They hadn't even caught their breath before Meena's mom came back into the kitchen. Meena and Johnny didn't even notice her as they regressed once more into uncontrollable giggles and began splashing water at each other.

"What the hell are you two doing'?!" Leslie interrupted them before they got out of hand once more and the two teenagers immediately froze in their tracks. "I leave for five seconds and you two start acting like children."

Johnny sheepishly rubbed the back of his head but relaxed when he saw that Meena was smiling brightly at him. Leslie shook her head and let out a little laugh at their antics. "You two better settle down and finish up those dishes," She scolded them before heading out to the living room to join her parents. Leslie settled down in the armchair next to the couch with a grateful sigh and tried valiantly to keep her eyes open before she lost the battle and fell asleep reclined in the chair.

Johnny glanced back at Leslie and watched as sleep overtook her before turning back to the dishes. Meena sighed next to him, her cheery mood dissipating slightly when she saw her mother's exhaustion. "She works at a diner in town from sunrise to sunset." She offered up as an explanation to break the silence that had settled between her and Johnny.

Johnny nodded and dried his hands with a dishtowel as Meena drained the sink, the dishes finally clean and dry. The two shuffled into the living room where Leslie and Meena's grandfather were asleep. Meena's grandma was glued to the TV, eagerly watching Leopardy with Alex Zebrek.

"I fin' it's time fer me ter head on home." Johnny smiled and headed for the door with Meena trailing behind him. His entire body was fighting him as he walked out the door of the comfortable home that he had spent the day in. It was a familiar experience from his childhood, one that he was reluctant to let go of.

Meena walked him all the way to his car in a companionable silence and when he reached it she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from getting in the truck. Johnny turned around curiously and found Meena smiling at him shyly, her ears flared out just slightly.

"I had a great time tonight Johnny. Maybe we could make this… a regular thing?" she wrung her hands nervously but continued on, "Only this time with less sleeping and a little bit more in the way of piano lessons?"

Johnny chuckled and let a large smile spread across his face, "Of course Meena. I'd really loike tha'. I'll clock ya tomorrow." With that he climbed into his truck and fired up the engine. Meena went back into the house with a big grin on her face and Johnny watched to make sure that she got in alright.

As he drove through the dark streets of town, the streetlights occasionally lighting up the cab of his truck, he was deep in thought.

When he finally arrived back at the garage, he sat in the truck and stared at the cold dark building that awaited him once more. His chest ached as he remembered relaxing in Meena's room and actually being able to sleep fully for the first time since his dad had been put away. He thought of the warm, home-cooked meal that he had eaten at a table surrounded by people who cared about each other. The warm hug that he had gotten from Leslie reminded him of the hug he had gotten from his father the night of his first show. He missed that warmth. That house had been like a sweet dream and he had felt happier than ever before there.

 **That must have been what it felt like to properly come home.**

But now it was time to wake up.


	4. Come Home

Noon and the day was already turning out to be a long one. Johnny sighed and rested his elbow on the open window of his truck as he sat trapped in the afternoon beast that was the spectacular traffic jam that ran up and down main street. Around him, various commuters were taking the complete halt differently. Many were either yelling or honking, desperate to keep some appointment or make it somewhere by a certain time. Some were casually exiting their vehicles to stretch their aching muscles, and the rare few were happily ignoring the chaos around them. Johnny was like none of them. His mind was a confused jumble of thoughts that he was desperately trying to sort through so that he could focus on something, anything. he was actually thankful for the traffic because it gave him the opportunity to roll down his window and lean on the sill as he stared off into the distance. At that particular moment a congregation of grey clouds had moved in to blanket the city. Instead of unleashing their load, the clouds merely hung around in the sky, leaving everyone in anticipation. The grayness of the day corresponded perfectly with Johnny's current mood as he drove home from the city prison.

Wednesday was the day that he visited his father in prison. They were allowed two hours, and only two, of visitation behind the thick glass walls of the visiting room. The song on the radio changed and despite the unusually low volume, the melody snuck into Johnny's brains and all he could focus on was the visit with his dad and singing the lyrics quietly to himself. He wasn't in the mood to sing at full volume anyways so the low volume suited him just fine.

 _ **Hello world**_

 _ **Hope you're listening**_

 _ **Forgive me if I'm young**_

 _ **For speaking out of turn**_

 _ **There's someone I've been missing**_

 _Johnny eagerly sat down in the booth that the impassive guard pointed him towards. Nervously he tapped his fingers against the table top and strained to see farther on the other side of glass, waiting for Big Daddy to appear with his usual escort. After a few minutes of waiting a door on the other side of the lass opened and big Daddy came lumbering in, his hands cuffed together. His guard sat his down, unlocked his handcuffs and then moved back against the wall to observe them._

 _Big Daddy shifted on the tiny stool and looked Johnny over with a slight smirk. "Ya jus' keep gettin' bigger every time I clock ya son. Ya're becomin' a geeza!" Johnny rolled his eyes at his father's comment but he automatically sat up straighter with pride. They talked aimlessly about the theatre and what Johnny was doing for their next show for a while before they lapsed into a short silence._

 _Johnny took that chance to look over his dad. His close-cropped hair was starting to grow out substantially and it looked odd. Despite being a crime boss, his father had always looked professional but prison luxuries did not include proper grooming materials, especially sharp ones. Big Daddy's orange jumpsuit was starting to show its age. All of the buttons had broken off so his father wore it around his waist with the sleeves tied, leaving him in only a dirty white tank top and his gold chain necklace. Johnny's eyes widened slightly when he noticed a couple spots that looked like dried blood on his father's shirt. Quickly, almost frantically, he examined his father for injuries, but with their thick black hair it was near impossible to find anything. He tried a different approach._

" _So uh 'a ya doin' in 'ere dad?" he could almost see the walls go up around his father as Big Daddy immediately closed off from his son. "Everythin' okay?" Johnny pushed once more, hoping that for once his father wouldn't put his pride before the truth._

" _Agh ya kna me. I got everythin' under control in this joint." Big Daddy grinned but Johnny knew a fake grin when he saw one. He also knew a lie when he heard one. Something was definitely up, but_

" _Anyways, ya daan't need her worry abaht your old dad bein' locked up for much longer. I got a feelin' that me parole 'earin' is gonna 'appen any day na."_

" _Yeah." Johnny shifted in his seat and looked down at the dirty counter top before him._

 _ **I think that they could be**_

 _ **The better half of me**_

 _ **They're in the in the wrong place trying to make it right**_

 _ **But I'm tired of justifying**_

" _Na. 'a abaht ya? 'A 're ye 'andlin' bein' on your own? Everythin' okay? Cause I can 'rrange summit if ya need me ter." Johnny stiffened as the attention turned to him and his life. For a millisecond he considered telling his dad that he was lonely, that he couldn't sleep, couldn't take care of himself. That thought died just as quickly as it was born. If his father could be strong so could he._

" _Nah it's fine dad. I'm doin' fantastic! I'm actually enjoyin' sum freedom." he let out a hollow chuckle but he knew that his dad had bought it when his dad's face brightened and he let out a loud bark of laughter._

" _That's me boy. I knew you'd be fine." Big Daddy chuckled and slapped his hand down on the counter._

" _Dad I-"_

" _Times up!" The guard suddenly barked and the Johnny gaped up at him. The time had gone by too fast, he hadn't been able to say all of the things that he wanted to say. He stood at the same time as his father was pulled up by the guard. He put his hand against the glass and Big Daddy smiled sadly and placed his hand over Johnny's from the other side of the glass. For a few seconds Johnny could swear that he felt the warmth of his father's hand against his own. Just as soon as he put his hand on the glass, the guard pulled him away and started to lead Big Daddy to the heavily fortified door that led to the prison cells. Johnny pressed up against the glass, trying to get a last glimpse of his father._

 _ **So I say to you**_

 _ **Come home**_

 _ **Come home**_

 _ **'Cause I've been waiting for you**_

 _ **For so long**_

 _ **For so long**_

" _I'll clock ya_

 _ **And right now there's a war between the vanities**_

 _ **But all I see is our family***_

 _ **The fight for us* is all I've ever known**_

 _ **So come home**_

 _ **Oooh**_

A particularly loud honk pulled Johnny out of his thoughts but it didn't faze him for too long, he just turned up the radio and leaned back in his seat. As his mind began to clear he looked at the people around him. They were all going about their day normally, the world kept turning, even though he was falling apart. Suddenly, cars began to inch forwards and Johnny was able to escape Main St. and head towards the garage. He left his window down, the weather was too nice to roll up the window no matter how he was hurting.

 _ **I get lost in the beauty**_

 _ **Of everything I see**_

 _ **The world ain't as half as bad**_

 _ **As they paint it to be**_

 _ **If all the sons**_

 _ **If all the daughters**_

 _ **Stopped to take it in**_

 _ **Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin**_

 _ **It might start now yeah**_

 _ **Well maybe I'm just dreaming out loud**_

Johnny pulled up to the garage, placed the truck in park and turned the engine off. The radio was still playing the end of the song and Johnny let out a heavy sigh as he leaned forward and rested his head against the steering wheel, still mouthing the lyrics to himself.

 _ **Come home**_

 _ **Come home**_

 _ **'Cause I've been waiting for you**_

 _ **For so long**_

 _ **For so long**_

 _ **And right now there's a war between the vanities**_

 _ **But all I see is you and me**_

 _ **The fight for you is all I've ever known**_

 _ **So come home**_

"So come home." Johnny whispered, his voice breaking slightly as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. His fingers were starting to turn white from the pressure he was exerting and the radio had long since changed to a commercial break when he felt a light touch on his shoulder. He jumped, jerking away from the gentle touch, his eyes wide and his heart pounding. Staring back at him with surprise in her eyes was Meena. He watched as her smile folded into a frown and her ears pulled in closer to her head as she took in his haggard appearance.

"Johnny?" she asked softly and he relaxed slightly, his heart rate going back to normal.

"Oh hey Meena." he said softly and tried to muster up another fake smile but it seemed that his body was refusing to cooperate.

"Johnny. Are you crying?" her soft voice soothed his raw soul enough for him to gain some awareness of his surroundings. He wiped at his cheek with his hand and stared at it in surprise when it came back wet with his salty tears. He looked up at Meena in surprise and shrugged slightly.

"I guess I am." Meena backed up as he opened the door to the truck and stepped out. It was only then that he noticed that she was carrying a large tupperware of last night's soup in her arms. "Is tha' for me?"

Meena looked down at the food as if she was only just now remembering that she had brought something with her. "Oh. Um yes it is. I wanted to make sure that you got your share of the leftovers."

Despite his melancholy mood, Johnny felt his heart lift a little at her kindness. He often wondered why Meena always had such a profound effect on him but he still wasn't quite sure. She was special, that was for sure, and she deserved to be treated s such. Johnny motioned for her to follow him into the garage and she followed close behind him , taking in everything around her. he winced slightly when he led her into the living room which was scattered with empty cans and old takeout containers. The place was a mess, but it didn't really bother him until now, for some reason he wanted to impress Meena and this was not the way to do it. He quickly bustled around, picking up the garbage close to him and hurrying to the kitchen to dispose of it. He groaned out loud when he saw that the garbage can in the kitchen was overflowing. He set the garbage down in a pile next to it and turned around to usher Meena to a cleaner part of his home.

But he was too late.

Meena was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, gripping the tupperware tight and looking around at the room. He watched her in silence as she took stock of everything as she slowly entered the room. She opened the fridge to deposit the leftovers inside and gasped when she found it mostly empty. What little food he had in there was far from healthy, and not enough to sustain him long term. She carefully placed the tupperware on the shelf and stepped back to look at Johnny. But his eyes were glued to that tupperware. It looked so out of place in his empty fridge, but at the same time it belonged there. It was a reminder of a life that he hadn't lived for a very long time. He shut the door to the fridge, trying desperately to gather himself until Meena left, but he never got the chance.

She nearly knocked the breath out of him when she suddenly enveloped him in a firm hug, her arms wrapped around him in a way that was comforting and restricting at the same time. While he desperately wanted to keep his sadness from her because Meena only deserved his happiness his heart also ached for an embrace, for her comfort, for something substantial. Cautiously his arms came up to return the embrace and he leaned his head down to rest in the crook of her shoulder. His body was still tense and just when he felt like it was time for him to pull away Meena whispered in his ear.

"You don't have to hide it Johnny. I'm here for you no matter what." He was paralyzed for what felt like years, his brain desperately trying to process her words. He let out a shuddering breath and his eyes began to burn slightly as his tears gathered in them. Slowly he figured it out. Meena may only deserve his happiness but she wanted all of him, and in this moment she was ready for his sadness, she was letting him lean on her. It was like a dam burst inside of him and his tears began to flow down his cheeks as his body fully relaxed into her embrace, shaking slightly with the force of his silent sobs. His arms tightened around her, pleading for her not to leave him alone. He didn't want to be alone anymore. As if sensing the change in his embrace, one of Meena's arms came up to soothingly rub his back and she began humming a nameless tune that calmed him slightly.

After a few minutes, Johnny's tears began to subside and an all-consuming exhaustion filled his entire body. He stood up, withdrawing his face from Meena's neck and sniffling slightly. For the first time since she walked into his kitchen his brown eyes met her blue depths. They were filled with concern for him, but they were also filled with gratitude. He had put his trust in her, let her comfort him, and finally released what he had been holding back for so long. Wordlessly she released her grip on him, but kept her hand on his back as she led him over to the old couch in the living room. She urged him gently to lay down and he was so tired that he couldn't even find the energy to protest. When he finally let his body relax on the couch a clam washed over him like a refreshing shower after a hot day. His emotions, the turmoil in his head, everything, was suddenly silent and all he felt was the warmth of Meena's touch as she placed a soft throw blanket over him. He looked up at her as she perched herself on the edge of the couch and looked down at him.

Without any prompting he told her. Everything. The words flowed like a river past his lips and with every syllable the weight on his heart lifted, piece by piece. He told her about growing up with a gangster father, the events that happened during their first show, even the moment when he almost stole the prize money. When he got to the part about his father disowning him she placed a large hand on his shoulder but said nothing, letting him continue. He told her about his father breaking out of prison to find him during the show, their secret reunion and his subsequent visits every Wednesday. How for a year he had been on his own with every family member he ever knew in prison and how he believed that they might never get out to see him perform. His doubts, his fears, and even the lies that he and his father exchanged that very day. Finally, he explained the loneliness that had been like a dark ocean, suffocating him as he sunk lower and lower into its depths. And when he had let it all out, his eyes closed and he let the exhaustion consume him with the knowledge that she would watch over him, that somebody else knew about everything, and that from now on everything would be okay.

Meena.

 **He could count on her to be there when he needed her.**


	5. Count on Me

The next day Johnny woke up from the most peaceful sleep that he had experienced in a long time. His mood was high and happy and he didn't feel the least bit of exhaustion. In fact, he nearly popped out of bed with excitement to get the day started. He quickly got ready and dashed downstairs. He was half expecting to find Meena asleep on his couch from the night before, but the garage was as empty as ever. Johnny felt the cold feeling of loneliness trying to seep back into his consciousness but it disappeared as soon as he saw a white piece of paper taped to his fridge.

Scrawled on the paper in elegant, curvy handwriting was a message:

 _Good Morning Johnny,_

 _I had to leave but I made sure to pick up some stuff at the grocery store for your breakfast. I'll see you at the theatre!_

 _Love,_

 _Meena_

He stared down at the note for a few more minutes; reading it over and over, as a goofy grin spread across his face. He eagerly wrenched open the door to his fridge and pulled out one of the protein smoothies that his fridge was suddenly stocked with. It was strawberry kiwi flavored but he had little experience on which flavors were good so he shrugged and opened it up, taking a sip. His eyes widened in shock and he looked down at the thick smoothie in his hand. It was better than he could have ever imagined. He chugged the smoothie as he walked to his truck, savoring every last drop of it. When it was finished he was left feeling full and possibly happier than before. This was by far a better breakfast than an energy drink and some old takeout.

He jumped into his truck, turned it on, and started his commute to the theatre. The sun had burned away the clouds from the day before and was now shining brightly down on him. He rolled down his windows and turned up the radio so that the upbeat music flowed from his car to the area around him. He was still tapping out the beat of a song on his steering wheel when he pulled up to his parking space outside the theatre. He whistled happily as he locked his car and strolled into the theatre, an extra bounce in his step.

As soon as he walked into the lobby Meena and Ash, who had apparently been waiting for him "forever", bombarded him. Instead of leading him deeper into the theatre they actually began moving towards the exit.

"Um where 're we garn?" He asked them as they headed towards where his car was still parked.

"Well Ash is looking for a new apartment and she needs our help." Meena smiled at him and that was all it took for Johnny to shrug and unlock the car so that they could all hop in. As he got into the driver's seat Ash slid into the middle and Meena got in last. Once she had closed the door her turned on the truck and began driving. Ash directed him towards their first destination, which was a good ways away from the theatre and everyone else.

They all got out and went into the apartment where the owner was waiting for them. The space was small with two bedrooms mushed together and old appliances that looked kind of dirty. Once they had finished the tour through the apartment, Ash insisting on seeing every aspect of the apartment, Ash turned around to get their opinion on the place. All it took was one look from their faces for Ash to walk out. Meena blushed at her friend's rude behavior and quickly thanked the owner for showing them around before grabbing Johnny's hand and dragging him out.

She held his hand until they were free of the building when, to both of their disappointment, she released his hand. Ash was already sitting in the truck, putting in the directions for the next location, and paying them no attention. Seeing his chance, Johnny recaptured Meena's hand and stopped her from walking away. She looked back at him in surprise but instead of offering an explanation he gently pulled her close and into a tight embrace.

After a few seconds, Meena relaxed in his embrace, her surprise disappearing in favor of accepting the embrace he offered. They stood there hugging for a few minutes before Johnny finally pulled back and released her from his grip.

"What was that for?" Meena asked bashfully, fiddling with her jacket. Johnny smiled and shrugged, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"It was for bein' there…ya kna for me." He looked down at the concrete bashfully and kicked aimlessly at some pebbles. Meena's face softened and she pulled him into a tight hug once more.

"Always." She whispered in his ear before releasing him and nodding her head towards the truck where Ash was waiting impatiently. He chuckled and she joined in with that musical laugh of hers. The hurried over to the car and quickly got in, unwilling to anger Ash by lingering any longer.

The next place that they went to was still pretty far from the theatre but was completely modernized with new appliances and fresh white paint. It was essentially a blank canvas for them to work with. Unfortunately these new appliances and fresh paint job came with a hefty price tag that made Ash's face scrunch up when she heard it.

Once more she turned around to get their opinion but this time she looked right at Johnny instead of the both of them. Meena turned to Johnny as well, both girls waiting for his opinion. Johnny froze under the pressure for a few seconds before cautiously voicing his opinion.

"Well… uh… it's a lil' expensive for me tastes and it's still pretty far from the theatre. Maybe we, I mean ya, should keep lookin'." He stumbled over his words under Ash's intense gaze, his eyes darting back and forth between Ash, the owner, and Meena. There was a tense silence as Ash's eyes narrowed and she looked around the room as if thinking the apartment over with new insight.

"He's right. We'll keep looking." And with that Ash strolled out of the apartment, glued to her phone once more. The owner looked a little peeved at Ash's brusque entrance and before she could turn on them for answers Meena and Johnny were running out to the car, laughing loudly and racing through the halls to the exit.

They got into the car once more and headed back towards the theatre to visit their final apartment for the day. Johnny turned up the radio and a quirky beat filled the car. They all began singing along loudly and purposefully off key. The car was filled with their collective laughter and the bouncing beat of the song on the radio. It was then that Johnny realized how much he had truly missed hanging out with his friends and just being goofy, and with that realization he vowed to make sure that they had more moments like this.

When they pulled up to the final place, Johnny was surprised to find that it was only a few blocks away from the theatre, close enough that he could make out the signature look of the building in the distance. As he walked up the steps into the building the song that they had just murdered in good fun was stuck in his head.

 _If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,_

 _I'll sail the world to find you_

 _If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,_

 _I'll be the light to guide you_

They all walked into the apartment and something in Johnny's head just clicked. The place was roomy without being too big and the bedrooms were on opposite sides of the living room to contribute to privacy. The kitchen was updated without being entirely chrome and the walls were painted with various bright colors that lit up the room and gave the place a bit of character. Johnny found himself wandering away from Meena, Ash and the owner as he drifted towards one of the bedrooms.

He walked into the room and ran a hand along the blue and green walls as he walked over to the window. It looked out over the street, a perfect place to people watch or observe the beauty of the day. On a whim he slid open the window and climbed out onto the fire escape that was conveniently just outside. He sat on the sill of the window and looked up at the sunny sky above him, letting the light wash over him and warm him up. A sense of peace and comfort washed through him in those seconds before Meena and Ash wandered into the room and found him.

"So what do you think of this one Pretty Boy?" Ash asked even though the smirk on her face said that she already knew that he was in love with this apartment. Johnny climbed back into the room and pretended to survey the room with a critical eye, but the girls weren't fooled, they could still see the happy twinkle in his eyes.

"This is a really great place Ash. Close ter the theatre, not too expensive, and it's in really great shape. I fin' ya should get this wahn." He smiled at her and the owner who had been lingering in the doorway, listening in on his opinion of the place.

"Yeah. It is a pretty cool place." Ash mused and smiled at the owner, "We'll take it." The owner's face lit up in a smile and he rushed off to get the lease paperwork. When the owner had disappeared, Ash and Meena high-fived and began chattering excitedly about how to decorate and when to move in.

"Wait a minute." Johnny interjected and both girls turned to look at him, their confusion apparent on their face. "

Wot 're ya gonna do wif this extra bedroom?" He asked, looking around longingly before focusing back on his friends who were having a wordless conversation with their eyes.

 _Find out what we're made of_

 _When we are called to help our friends in need_

"Well that's where my roommate is gonna live. The other room is decorated more to my tastes anyway." Ash said casually, but there was an excited look on her face.

"Oh…okay." He said slowly and his high spirits dropped a little bit at the idea of some stranger living in the room, perching in the spot on the window that he already considered his. He quickly shook himself and put on a happy smile to be polite and find more out about Ash's new friend, "Who's your roommate gonna be?"

Ash glanced up at Meena once more before nodding and turning her attention back to Johnny. She stepped forward, closing the substantial space between them. "I was actually hoping that you might move in with me." She smiled and gestured to the room that they were all standing in.

"This could all be yours." She said and Meena nodded eagerly behind her, her hands clasped in front of her.

Johnny felt like he had been hit by a truck. He stood there gaping at his friends for what felt like hours but was really only a couple of minutes. His subconscious was engaged in a ferocious battle over his decision. Part of him wanted to stay at the garage and wait for his dad and his uncles to return home so that life could resume as normal. The other half pushed for change, for growth, and for him to get out of the place that made him so sad and unable to sleep. Johnny looked over at Meena as if she held some kind of answer to his dilemma. She met his gaze and directed a soft smile in his direction.

Slowly the side of him that wanted to not be alone anymore won out and his whole body shook in relief as his made his decision. Johnny started nodding slowly before his happiness caught up with him and he began nodding vigorously, afraid that if he spoke he might burst into tears.

"Good because I already put you down on the agreement as my roommate." Ash quipped, a genuine smile gracing her face. She was truly happy to be helping her friend and to be living with someone that would be a good influence on her rather than a controlling one. Johnny let out a bark of watery laughter and ran over to embrace his friend. Ash allowed it for a few seconds before she poked him with one of her quills, causing him to release her suddenly. Before Johnny could turn to thank Meena for her part in the little plan the owner returned with the paperwork. Ash signed first and then Johnny went through each page, signing and initialing wherever the owner told him too.

When he signed the last piece of paper, a thrill charged up and down his form. It felt immensely good to be an adult and strike out on his own. He now had his own place to live, his independence and a good friend as a roommate. Once all of the paperwork was done they set in a move in date with the owner. Ash had insisted that it be tomorrow because she was all packed up and ready to go. Johnny had looked a little nervous that it was so soon but he agreed anyway. It would be good for him to do this as soon as possible.

The net thing to schedule was their first payment but neither of them was too worried about it. The subsequent shows that they had done had earned them a hefty sum in their bank accounts and they had plenty to spare for rent and food.

Once everything was settled they all got into Johnny's car and drove the two blocks to the theatre. Whereas the previous drive had been filled with music and fun this one was full of quiet contemplation for Johnny. He was finally moving into his own place and instead of being on the outskirts of town he would be two blocks from the theatre. He had been expecting a slight respite from his crushing loneliness and subsequent depression when he had poured out his soul to Meena but he definitely wasn't anticipating his loneliness being fixed so easily like that. Sure he didn't expect Ash to spend every minute with him but he would have someone in his home to hang out with instead of silence. And now he was closer than ever to the theatre and his theatre friends. Including Meena. He glanced over at her and found her looking at him with a contented smile on her face. He smiled back when she turned bright red at being caught staring at him. He noticed that even though she blushed her ears stayed flared comfortably and something in his chest fluttered at the thought of her being so comfortable with him.

 _You can count on me like one two three_

 _I'll be there_

 _And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two_

 _You'll be there_

' _Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

When they pulled up to the theatre Ash dashed out of the car and towards the entrance, saying something about getting to work on her new album. Johnny just shook his head and walked in with Meena. They chatted about moving and his new apartment all the way into the practice rooms. When they reached hers Meena smiled shyly down at the ground before turning it on him.

"Thanks for walking me here Johnny. I'll see you tomorrow." She leaned forward, placed a kiss on his cheek, and then quickly went into her practice room.

Johnny's eyes widened in surprise and he put his hand over the spot on his cheek where she had kissed him. It was tingling slightly and the tingles ran through his head as if shorting it out. On autopilot he started walking around the stage, not exactly sure where he was going. All he could think of was replaying that moment in his head. Meena leaning in, her soft lips pressing against his cheek, and the nervous look in her eyes as she escaped. ' _Maybe she's-'_

"Hey Johnny!" Rosita, who was carrying a large cooler bag on her shoulder, interrupted his thoughts. He immediately reached down and took it from her in an effort to lessen the pressure on his friend.

"'Ey Rosita." Johnny gave her a smile and adjusted the heavy bag on his shoulder, "Wotcha got 'ere?"

"Actually that's why I came to find you. I don't want you living off those atrocious energy drinks anymore. You need to get your energy the healthy way. So I made you a bunch of protein filled meals that you can freeze and eat." She grinned up at him and motioned for him to put the bag down. He followed her instruction and watched as she went through each of the meals that she had packed into the bag and how they all had reheat instructions taped onto them.

 _If you're tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep_

 _I'll sing a song_

 _Beside you_

"Rosita this is too much, ya shouldn't have gone ter aw of this trouble." Johnny tried to protest but Rosita silenced him with one of her mom looks.

"Nonsense Johnny! It wasn't any trouble at all. Now I don't want to hear anything more about this." She said sternly but gently enveloped him into a tight hug. Johnny returned the embrace, still a little guilty about her fussing over him but actually appreciating it to his core.

"You gotta take care of yourself." She whispered into his ear before releasing him and walking away. Johnny was about to stand up from his kneeling position when Buster seemed to appear out of nowhere with a superhero lunchbox that was filled to the bursting point.

"Johnny! Just the gorilla I was looking for! I made you some of my special sandwiches." Buster gently patted Johnny's arm and leaned in as if sharing a secret. "I know that you usually don't bring a lunch to the theatre so these will serve you well for the time being." With that Buster winked, handed him the lunch box and began walking away.

 _And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me_

 _Everyday I will_

 _Remind you_

Johnny opened his mouth to say something, anything to his boss but Buster just held up a hand to stop him and kept walking. "No need to thank me. There's more where that came from!" He called out, and with that Buster disappeared backstage, probably up to his office.

Johnny stood on the stage, watching the spot where his friends had disappeared with great confusion and deep appreciation. He picked up the bag of frozen food, as well as the lunchbox, and headed to his practice room. He dug through the bag for a while, looking at every meal with hungry eyes. He eventually put them all away and began rehearsing his song for their new show.

When lunch rolled around he picked out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and joined everyone else onstage. They spent the hour laughing and chatting together just like everyday except this time Johnny actually had a lunch instead of eating the pieces that everyone else slipped him. When he bit into the sandwich he was surprised at how good it was. He didn't know that peanut butter and jelly could taste so good. He practically inhaled it he ate it so fast. The others teased him about his disappearing food but he just brushed it off with a huge smile. He was enjoying this time more than anything and was a little bummed when it ended and they all went their separate ways to get to work.

 _Ooh_

 _We find out what we're made of_

 _When we are called to help our friends in need_

He had only been in his practice room for a few minutes when there was a knocking at his door. He opened it up and found Eddie and Gunter waiting outside. Eddie was holding a box and Gunter was hiding something behind his back.

"'Ey guys what's up?" He was looking curiously at the box when it was shoved into his arms. He quickly caught it and looked inside. Nestled inside was a new game station with various games and controllers. Johnny's eyes widened and he gaped at Eddie who was smirking casually.

"My parents got me another one but I already have it so I thought you might want it." He shrugged casually and Johnny looked down at the game station once more. It was brand new and so were a few of the games that Eddie had put in the box

"Eddie I can't just take this fer free!" he sputtered, trying to reach for his wallet, "At least let me pay ya fer it."

But Eddie just shook his head and laughed, "Relax dude. The last thing I need is money. Besides, at least I know that you'll actually play it in your new apartment."

Johnny looked at him in surprise, "How do you know-"

Gunter suddenly shoved a video game into the box along with the others and launched into an explanation accompanied by various dance moves, "I prought you zis kame for your nev kame machine! It is the Chust Dance! I haffe many copies and now you can barty in your ovn home too!"

Johnny nodded dazedly at Gunter and hugged the box tight to his chest, "Thanks guys. Maybe we could play together sum time?" He offered and Gunter started to show off his dance moves once more.

"You vill not stand ein chance akainst zis dance machine!" he said as he began dancing away, producing glow sticks out of nowhere. Eddie and Johnny watched him go with confused looks on their faces and when he disappeared Eddie spoke up.

"I don't ever think I'll understand that pig."

"Me either." Johnny shook his head and laughed. Eddie nodded his goodbye and began wandering away with is hands in his pockets, looking for something to do. Johnny set down the box nest to the bag from Rosita and sat on his stool just looking at them for a second, wondering what he did to deserve friends like these.

 _You can count on me like one two three_

 _I'll be there_

 _And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two_

 _You'll be there_

' _Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

A few hours later he had his noise cancelling headphones in and was singing along to the song that he had chosen for his solo performance, trying desperately to focus on it and not the pile of gifts he had been given. He closed his eyes and sat down at the piano, running his fingers over the keys fondly. He removed his headphones so that he could hear the music as he played a couple notes.

"You're getting better Johnny." Ms. Crawly's voice suddenly came out of nowhere, startling Johnny to the point where he slid off the stool and landed on the hardwood floor with a loud thud. Ms. Crawly wandered over to him, not really noticing that he was on the ground.

"I can't wait to hear you play this for the new show." She patted the piano lovingly and looked over at the neat stack of the presents he had gotten.

"Oooh look at all these goodies." She exclaimed and began rifling through them. She pulled out a video game and examined it critically before putting it back in the box. Johnny had pulled himself onto his feet and was rubbing his back where it had hit the floor.

"Did ya need summit Ms. Crawly?" He asked and she turned around to look at him, mirroring his confused look.

"I don't know. Did I?" She rubbed her chin with one shaky hand and toddled around the room as Johnny put Rosita's bag back together and sealed up the game station box.

"Well um…" he awkwardly moved over to the piano once more and sat on the old stool, "I better get back ter work then…" He played a few notes on the piano as Ms. Crawly wandered towards the door.

"Oh yes. I'll leave you be then." she smiled and walked out the door, shutting it behind her. Johnny sighed and shook his head, a fond smile playing on his lips. He played a couple more notes and was just getting into the music when the door opened once more and Ms. Crawly hurried in.

"Ms. Crawly?" He asked but before he could get anything else out she shoved a packet of sheet music into his hands, a happy little grin on her face.

"You're gonna need these for the show." She said and then moved over to the piano, leaning against it, "And you're gonna need more practice at home."

"Wot do ya mean? I daan't 'ave a piano." He watched her stare at the piano in front of her for a minute before she seemed to break out of a trance.

"You should take my old one home." She said as she patted the piano affectionately, "She's seen more use from you than me in a long time."

Johnny gaped at her and shook his head, writing it off as one of her ramblings. He was about to get up and escort her out when she placed a frail hand on his knee and looked up at him with her one eye.

"I want you to take this gift from me Johnny. You were born to play piano and if you practice on this old girl you'll get there soon enough." She looked so serious that Johnny finally realized that she was being serious and she wanted him to have the old piano that he had first performed on. Whenever he touched those keys he was reminded of the thrill of his first performance, the swirl of emotions behind it, the flashing lights, and the cheering crowd. It was always a rush every time he played those keys.

 _You'll always have my shoulder when you cry_

 _I'll never let go_

 _Never say goodbye_

 _You know you can_

Ms. Crawly smiled at him and patted his knee before wandering over to the door once more. "Treat her well." She admonished him and all he could do was nod wordlessly in response. Ms. Crawly, satisfied with his response, slipped out the door and wandered away.

For the rest of the day Johnny played on **his** piano and wondered just what had sparked this generosity from his friends. He was sure that they weren't coerced but something else was behind this. This wasn't a normal day at the theatre. Maybe it wasn't something but someone behind this. He cycled through his interactions in the past week with his friends. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; everything had been normal except for… Meena. He had poured his should out to Meena last night and she had seen fit to help him in every way that she could. Instead of being upset he teared up with the sheer amount of gratitude that filled him up in that moment.

 _Count on me like one two three_

 _I'll be there_

 _And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two_

 _And you'll be there_

' _Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

As if on cue, Meena appeared in his doorway and asked him if he wanted to walk out together since he had so much to carry. Instead of saying anything he quickly advanced on her and pulled her into a tight hug. She patted him on the back gently; obviously unsure as to why she was receiving this embrace.

"I kna this was aw your idea." He whispered and hugged her tighter. They remained silent, just hugging each other for a little while before pulling back. Meena reached down and clasped Johnny's hand in hers.

"You can always count on us Johnny. We are your family." She squeezed his hand for emphasis and walked over to pick up the box with the game station in it.

 _You can count on me 'cause I can count on you_

Johnny grabbed the bag of frozen meals and followed Meena all the way to his truck without saying a word. When they had loaded up his truck and were ready to leave he reached out and grabbed her hand once more.

"I wanna thank ya Meena, for everythin'." He started slowly, looking down at their joined hands and then up at her.

"It was nothing Johnny." She said shyly, a blush blooming in her cheeks.

"Nah it wasn't. Let me take ya aht ter thank ya. Tomorra night, if you're free." He gave her a hopeful smile and she seemed to think about it for a second before he visibly saw her give in.

"I look forward to it." She leaned forward and once more bestowed a kiss on his cheek before hurrying over to the other side of the street to catch her bus. She waved goodbye to him as she boarded the bus and took her seat.

Johnny watched as the bus drove away with the elephant that made his skin tingle where she kissed him, that made him comfortable in any setting, that made his heart pound when she held his hand. The elephant that made him talk to the moon every night and the same girl who took his heart home with her every time she left.

Johnny sighed and got in the car. His train of thought came to a halt when a sudden realization hit him like a slap to the face.

 **Wait a minute was he just thinking about love?**


	6. Thinkin' Bout Love

Johnny spent the rest of his night packing up his belongings in boxes and preparing them for the day. The theatre family was going to take the day off to help them move in. They would meet at the theatre for announcements and then they would go to Johnny's place with the moving truck and then to Ash's place to pick up all of her stuff. Since he was being packed up first, he had to be ready. As he lay in bed that night and looked at the empty walls of his bedroom he felt a sense of nostalgia. This room held so many memories, both good and bad, and tonight would be the last time that he spent a night there. He rolled over under his covers and looked out his dirty window, gazing at the moon, his companion every night. Johnny laid his head on the pillow and let the light of the moon wash over him and lull him into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning Johnny got up early to load his truck with his boxes and prepare the furniture that he would be taking when the truck came. He drove the truck to the theatre, whistling happily to himself and enjoying the morning. He snagged a great parking space in front of the theatre and he was practically walking on air when he strutted into the theatre. Everyone else was already waiting onstage when he entered the theatre so he quickly jogged up and took his place next to Meena.

"'Ey Meena I 'eard that there's a fair in town tonight. Do ya wanna go wif me?" He leaned over and whispered in Meena's ear. His heart was pounding like a drum and his hands were sweaty but Johnny knew that if he didn't ask her now he would lose his nerve. Meena immediately blushed but gave him a shy smile.

"Sounds like fun." She whispered and Johnny's good mood lifted impossibly higher. So much so that he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face or the way that his heart skipped a beat when she accepted.

"Alright everyone!" Buster motioned for them to come closer as he looked down at his little clipboard, reading off from his list. "Before we move on to the moving party there are a couple of announcements that I have about the show. We still need to get costumes finished and put up fliers but that shouldn't be too hard. Also I've decided to add a big finisher to the show, a duet to be exact." He looked up from his clipboard and pointed his pen at Meena and Johnny.

"Meena. Johnny. You two are gonna do the duet." He handed them both a sheet of paper, which they both looked at in shock, "I have a list of songs for you both. Choose from them and then let me know okay?"

Meena and Johnny looked at each other, shrugged, and then nodded their agreement.

"Alright well that's all I have for today. Let's get going team!" Buster led the way to the moving truck that thankfully Eddie was driving and not him. There was a good reason as to why the koala was confined to a bicycle as his only mode of transportation. Johnny followed them with Ash and Meena in his truck.

When they finally got to his place it didn't take vary long to load up his furniture. All he was taking was his bed, his dresser, and the piano that Ms. Crawly had given him. Once all of that was loaded up and secured they headed to Ash's place where the real work began. The loaded up all of her furniture and essentially stripped her entire apartment in a matter of hours. Meena and Johnny did most of the heavy lifting while everyone else handled small things and boxes. Once the apartment was packed up Ash went inside to give the key to the building manager.

When she came out Johnny and Meena were waiting for her. She walked over to them and stood on the sidewalk, looking at the building. This was the building where she and Lance had been happy, where they had spent night after night talking, making music, making love. But now those memories, and this building, were tainted with all of the hurtful words he said, the times he kept her talent hidden, and worst of all Becky. She felt a pang in her chest as those dark thoughts that she had been fighting since the night that she saw Lance singing with Becky. As if sensing her pain, Meena reached down and clasped her hand and Johnny put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ash let herself absorb their support, their comfort for a few seconds. She squeezed Meena's hand, took a deep breath and then released her hand.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand. I got shit to do." She grumbled and walked back to the truck, the weight that had been lingering in her heart lifting with each step. Meena watched her walk away and turned to Johnny, a worried look on her face.

"Do you think she's gonna be ok?" She asked softly as they started for the car. Johnny looked up to where Ash was sitting in the truck, a soft, almost relieved smile on her face.

"I fin' that she's gonna be just fine Meena." He gave her a reassuring smile and reached over, squeezing her hand momentarily.

"Yeah. Yeah you're right." Her bright smile lit up her face and she quickly got into the truck. Johnny followed suit and lead the caravan to the new apartment.

Once there the group was once more a flurry of motion as they brought in all if the large furniture pieces and then the boxes. When everything had been brought in, Gunter, Buster and Eddie left to return the truck and grab a late lunch for everyone. Rosita had insisted upon setting up the kitchen and since neither Johnny nor Ash really wanted to argue with her, they had let her station herself in the kitchen and get to work.

Ash and Johnny went their separate ways, unpacking their respective belongings in their rooms. Meena had volunteered to help Ash first and spent the better part of an hour sorting through the obscene amount of clothing that her best friend had. Once everything was hung up, folded, or put in drawers Meena stepped back and observed her work. Satisfied with her organizational skills she turned to help Ash with her various guitars and pieces of musical equipment. She knew all of the cases on sight because Ash had insisted on showing Meena every single one of her 'babies'. She was sorting through the mess of musical equipment when an unfamiliar guitar case caught her eye.

She gently picked it up and carried it over to the bed, surprised at how perfectly it fit in her arms. In a daze, she stroked her hand over the worn leather, memorizing how it felt on her skin. Carefully she opened the clasps with a pop and the top of the case creaked slightly when she lifted it to reveal its contents. Nestled in a bed of red velvet was an old acoustic guitar, chipped and faded, but still in relatively good condition. Meena ran her hand over the strings and the instrument let out a soft hum that made her gasp.

"Oh you found that old thing." Ash suddenly broke her trance as she peeked over Meena's shoulder into the case.

"It's beautiful." Meena breathed out and Ash snorted in disbelief.

"Meena. This guitar is basic, old, and totally boring." She slowly trailed off her insults when she actually saw the way that Meena looked at the guitar with wonder in her baby blue eyes. Ash recognized that look; it was the same way that she had looked at her very first electric guitar.

"But it's also a classic with character." She added and put a hand on Meena's shoulder, "You should take it."

"Oh Ash I couldn't take one of your guitars." She protested immediately but Ash just smirked and covered her friend's mouth with her hand before Meena could launch into one of her nervous ramblings.

"I insist. It's too big for me and I don't even play acoustic." Meena looked at the guitar longingly and Ash could see that she had her on the ropes. It would just take a little more convincing and maybe she could be the one to introduce Meena to her very first musical love.

"If you don't take it it'll just collect dust in my closet." She nudged Meena's side good-naturedly. Meena seemed to consider it for a second as she aimlessly stroked the strings. Suddenly her face fell and she let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't even know how to play it." She said morosely and Ash rolled her eyes.

"Meena. Duh. I'll teach you." She gently shoved her friend, grinning once she saw the smile begin to reemerge on Meena's face. "And I won't fall asleep in the middle of the lesson." She laughed and winked at Meena who began to giggle at the memory of Johnny passed out on her bed, cuddling her favorite pillow. She was still kicking herself for not taking a picture.

"Oh Ash! Thank you." Meena snatched Ash before she could get away and pulled her into a tight hug. Ash sighed and patted her friend's back gently, hoping that the hug would end soon. When Meena was still squeezing the life out of her a minute later she decided that it was enough and gently poked Meena with one of her quills, just enough to signal that she was done with their little hug session.

Meena rubbed the sore spot on her arm absentmindedly, the smile never leaving her face. She closed the case back up and hugged the guitar close to her chest for a second.

"Leave that here and go check on Pretty Boy. I don't want him falling asleep on me or wandering off. I want this done today." Ash gestured for her to go to Johnny's room and Meena practically floated across the living room to Johnny's room. She knocked carefully on the door to signal her entrance.

"Johnny?" She called out but there was no reply. She pushed the door all the way open and frowned when she found his partially assembled room. His furniture was all set up and placed where he wanted it, with the piano by the window. He still had a couple boxes left to unpack and all of his posters were just lying in a stack on his bed. She walked over and looked through them curiously, wondering what exactly they depicted. Meena smiled when she recognized many of the posters of music groups that she had up in her own room, and even some that she wanted but couldn't find.

She jumped slightly when she heard the creaking of metal coming from behind her. She spun around to find Johnny perched on the railing of the fire escape, just looking out at the city. Cautiously she climbed out onto the metal platform and joined him at the railing. Instead of sitting on it she leaned against it and smiled up at Johnny. He looked so content, so happy in this place and in that moment, with the early evening sunlight washing over them both, did she realize that this might have been the best thing for Johnny.

"Enjoying the view?" She asked quietly and Johnny chuckled, kicking his feet slightly so that they swung back and forth over the empty space.

"Beautiful ain't it?" He said in response and Meena hummed her agreement. She sighed happily and leaned more into the railing, taking in as much of the view as she could. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the view and each other's presence. Neither felt the need to fill the companionable silence that lingered between them.

Their moment was interrupted when Eddie, Gunter, and Buster pulled up in front of the building in Eddie's convertible. They walked into the building carrying four pizza boxes and talking loudly.

"I guess we better go into the kitchen and get some food before it's gone." Meena said quietly, reluctant to leave but the growling from her stomach was starting to get hard to ignore.

"Yeah…" Johnny frowned as he turned around and hopped down off the railing.

"It's not gonna disappear Johnny. It'll be here when you get back." She teased and led the way through the window and back inside. Johnny chuckled at her comment and followed her through the window, shutting it tight once he was inside.

"I guess yer wite. Na let's go get sum food." They walked out into the kitchen where Buster was directing Eddie and Gunter where to put the pizza boxes. Meena and Johnny grabbed paper plates and grabbed a couple slices before settling on the floor of the living room. Pretty much every other surface was covered in boxes, both empty and full.

"Ash! Come aht and get pizza before we eat it aw." Johnny called and Ash quickly emerged from her room. She grabbed a plate and filled it with pizza before settling down next to Meena and digging in. The group all sat on the floor and talked as they ate and Johnny was reminded of their usual lunch hour in the theatre. They were able to drag Rosita away from the kitchen long enough to get her to eat but she was the first to finish and return to her kitchen project. Everyone else hung around until Ash was finished and began directing them on what to unpack and where to put it. Meena snuck away with Johnny into his room and she spent the rest of the afternoon helping him get his stuff set up and his room decorated.

Her trunk reached up just as high if not higher than his long arms so hanging his posters was easy as pie. She spent forever hanging them just right so that they overlapped slightly and created a collage of music on his main wall space. Johnny secretly watched her from his position in front of his speaker system where he had been painstakingly adjusting wires and such. He couldn't stop himself from gazing at the look of pure concentration on her sweet face. The fact that she was putting in so much work to make him happy in his new space made his chest ache with the overload of gratitude that threatened to burst out.

When she finished hanging his posters she stepped back, examined it with a critical eye and then nodded to herself as if deciding that it was perfect as it was going to get. She turned to Johnny and gestured for him to examine her work. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"That's a bangin' wall Meena. Thanks." Meena blushed and looked back at her work, obviously overthinking the placement of a few of the posters. She reached out to unpin a Pihranna poster and Johnny quickly put his hand over hers, stopping her in her tracks. He gently pulled her away from the wall and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Daan't change a fin' Meena. I love it loike this. I promise." He gave her a soft smile and Meena nodded shyly in response.

"Good. Na pick aht a song. I fin' I finally got the bloody stereo workin'." He stepped back from the stereo system and rubbed his sweaty hands on his jeans. Meena leaned over and scrolled through the list of the songs on his old iPaw that he had hooked up. Eventually she found some old jazz songs that she loved and within seconds the sweet sound of the saxophone filled the room.

Johnny nodded his approval and they resumed their work, him putting away clothes and her hanging up the rest of his photos and knick-knacks. Once everything had been hung up she put a couple cushions, a soft blanket, and a pillow on the wide ledge by his window. She had brought them from her garage on the whim that they would work with his room and the window that he loved so much. She had been right.

She stopped for a second and sat down on the cushions, looking out at the city around them. The colors of sunset were already starting to dance across the sky, creating a masterpiece that was unique to the end of each day. She leaned against the wall and watched the city life dim and calm under the new sky, contentment flowing through her. She felt someone behind her and a warm feeling spread through her body when Johnny laid his hand on her shoulder.

"That view was the reason I fell in love wif this place." He whispered and Meena looked up at him with a bright smile on her face.

"It really is amazing." She whispered, not really talking about the view anymore, she was so immersed in his brown eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah ya 're." He whispered, his mind numb to what he had just said until Meena's eyes widened and her entire face started to turn cherry red.

"I-I mean the view! I mean ya look nice to but…but I was really talkin' abaht the amazin' view." He nervously looked around for a distraction, anything to get Meena's mind away from his verbal blunder. He found it in the fair tickets that were sticking out of the pocket of his jacket. Before Meena could say anything, or withdraw further into embarrassment he spoke up again.

"Whew would ya look at the time." He pretended to check his nonexistent watch and stiffly walked over to the other side of the room where he felt like he could breathe again, "We better get ready fer the fair tonight." He breathed a sigh of relief when Meena's ears flared open in excitement and she stood up off of the window ledge.

"Oh! You're right. I better get home and get changed. Can you pick me up in an hour?" She asked as she grabbed her things and started for the door. Her proximity made his throat close up again and his palms grew sweaty.

"Yeah. Sure fin'. I'll be there wite at seven. Not a minute early, not a minute late." he stuttered out, trying to be cool, but coming off as nervous. Thankfully Meena just giggled and kissed his cheek as she went out the door and into the living room. She said goodbye to the others and then she was gone and the air was no longer thick with tension.

"Idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid." He berated himself and slumped against the wall in despair. When had talking to Meena become a battle with his beating heart and his tripping tongue? Suddenly his door opened and he straightened up, trying to look unaffected by whatever had just happened. In reality, his ego had taken a real blow. He used to be smooth, cool, and now he could barely stop his mind from running away with his mouth and saying something embarrassing.

Ash was standing in his doorway, an unimpressed look on her face. "You're in deep Pretty Boy." She smirked and Johnny's eyes darted around nervously.

"I dunno wot yer talkin' bout." He murmured and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'm talking about you being smitten with Meena." He opened his mouth to protest and Ash held up a hand to stop him, "Save it. You're both so obvious it makes me sick. And you're obviously struggling with this. So I'll help you."

She said it like she was giving in to his begging and she let out a sigh as she came into his room and shut the door behind her.

"First we need to get you in something nice. This is your first date after all."

"Date?!" He sputtered and tried to reason with Ash as she began looking through his closet for something for him to wear, "Wait, Ash, I never said anythin' abaht this bein' a date."

Ash just ignored him and pulled out his navy jeans and a white long sleeved t-shirt with a watercolor design of a light bulb on it. Johnny was momentarily silenced as he looked down at the shirt in shock. He didn't even know that he owned a shirt like that. He quickly recovered and continued at Ash shoved the clothes in his arms and began looking through his hair products in his bathroom.

"If you're not dressed in that by the time I get out I will replace your hair gel with super glue." She threatened and Johnny immediately began stripping off his casual moving clothes. He was just putting on his shirt when Ash came back in carrying his favorite hair gel and cologne.

"Sit." She gestured to the chair at his desk and Johnny cautiously followed her orders, still wary of her threat.

"Why 're ya doin' aw of this?" He asked as she poured gel into her hands and began running them through his hair, styling it to her liking.

"Because Meena is special, and so are you. You deserve each other. So I refuse to let you mess this up. You got me?" Johnny nodded solemnly; still in awe that Ash knew so much about feelings that he hadn't even fully figured out yet.

"Where are you guys going tonight?" She asked conversationally, but Johnny could tell that this was a test. He gulped audibly and nervously answered her question.

"Ter the fair." Ash snorted but smiled down at him.

"That is so corny. Meena is gonna love it." Johnny relaxed slightly and Ash spiked his hair with a flick of her wrist. She stepped back and inspected it, adjusting some rebellious hairs before she grabbed his cologne and began lightly spraying him with it. When she finished she climbed up on Johnny's desk and stared down at him seriously.

"Now when you get to this carnival, fair, whatever it is, you continue to be corny. Got it? Buy her cotton candy, win her a prize at a booth, and then ride the Ferris wheel. That's where you're gonna kiss her." She sternly pointed at his chest, her serious look never fading.

"Kiss 'er?!" His voice cracked as his anxiety spiked and he began to sweat at the idea of kissing Meena.

"Yes kiss her. You know how to do it." She smirked and pushed him out of his chair. "Now go get 'em tiger." Johnny looked back at her as if hoping that she would give him an excuse to stay but she just pointed at the door. He took a deep breath and then wrenched the door open and strode to the front door, grabbing his leather jacket as he left.

When he pulled up to Meena's house it was a little after seven. Meena was waiting on the porch staring out at the street. When he arrived she stood up and began hurrying over to where he was parked. As she walked he took in her appearance. She was wearing an A-line white sundress covered in colorful little flowers. She was wearing white sneakers and was carrying a small backpack-like bag. His heart immediately went into over drive as it tried to beat out of his chest and his mouth went completely dry. She got into the truck and sent him a bright smile that made his heart practically stop beating for a moment. He wasn't sure which sensation he liked more.

"Y-ya look beautiful." He stuttered out and Meena flushed and fiddled nervously with her dress.

"Th-thanks Johnny." She said in a voice so soft that he barely heard her over the roar of the engine. He nodded and drove away towards the outskirts of town where the fairgrounds were. They parked in a dirt parking lot and followed the crowds of people towards the entrance. The lights of the fair light up the night as it covered the city and it almost seemed like a dream.

 _Why are the stars getting so heavy?_

 _They keep on falling from the sky._

Meena walked closely to Johnny, holding onto him as she looked around in awe. The rabbit who took their tickets smiled cheerfully at them and gestured for them to move along.

Johnny led Meena to the snack booth first, and despite her protests that he didn't need to spend money on her he purchased kettle corn and a blue cotton candy. He handed the sweet treat to Meena, hoping to whatever deity was listening that she liked cotton candy.

 _Creating this magic between us,_

Meena ripped off a piece and eagerly ate it, gasping when the fluffy substance immediately melted in her mouth. She giggled and grabbed another piece, obvious delight shining in her eyes.

"This is so good." She exclaimed and offered some to Johnny who skeptically tore off a small piece and put it in his mouth. The fluffy substance tingled against his tongue as it melted and left the sweet taste of blueberry on his tongue.

 _Makin' you think: give it a try_

Music rang out from the speakers around the grounds as the walked through the crowded dirt pathways. The soft, romantic beat lingered in Johnny's ears and suddenly the warm weight of Meena's hand on his arm meant so much more than it normally would. Here in the flashing lights of the carnival, her eyes alight with joy and her sweet face pulled into one of the biggest, happiest smiles he had ever seen Meena was suddenly all he could see.

 _But wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love_

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

He couldn't stop smiling as he let Meena lead him to booth after booth where he would spend a couple bucks so that they could play the games that were offered. Meena was fairly good at the ring toss while Johnny failed miserably. For her troubles she won a small squirt gun and the first thing she did was lightly squirt him. He gasped in mock offense and over-exaggerated his pout. She laughed musically and the mere sound made him smile, he couldn't help it.

 _Now wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love._

They got to the beanbag toss where both of them were just a bit too strong to accurately throw the beanbag into the hole. Though neither of them won they still walked away from the game with big smiles as they exchanged teasing remarks.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

Suddenly Meena caught sight of the fun house and she let go of his arm, taking off toward sit like a child. He shrugged and chased after her, laughing when she launched herself into the first room and bounced on the trampoline floor. She turned around to see him waiting at the edge and pulled him in with one tug of her hand. She didn't let go as they bounced together, their laughter echoing off of the walls.

 _But wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love._

As they moved through the fun house, slipping and sliding on a floor made of rolling platforms and zigzagging up ramps, Johnny felt his nervousness from before melting away. He was having too much fun to think about the pressures of the night. Suddenly they didn't exist anymore.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

The both walked into a big tunnel and Meena squealed as the tunnel began to rotate slowly. She reached back for Johnny as she lost her footing and he deftly caught her in his strong arms. Carefully he helped her out of the tunnel and she impulsively leaned over and kissed his cheek as he was stepping out of the tunnel.

He froze mid step and fell quite spectacularly back into the tunnel. Meena burst into another fit of giggles and pulled him out of the tunnel and back onto his feet. He smiled sheepishly, hoping that she wouldn't comment on his graceless fall, and Meena just led him towards the final part of the fun house, the mirror room. He lost track of the real Meena as the room was suddenly filled with her reflections. Her beauty was everywhere, her smile surrounded him and her laugh came from every angle. He smiled and began searching the maze-like room for the real thing. The mirror Meenas were good imitations but he knew the real Meena the moment he saw her waiting for him by the exit.

 _Now wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love._

There was no way a mere reflection could have the twinkle that lived in Meena's eye, could fully imitate the way that her ears flared in excitement and happiness, could live up to the standards that she set just by smiling in his direction. He took her hand when he came up to her and winked charmingly.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

"Found ya." She blushed and played with the skirts of dress distractedly. Johnny heard the ring of a bell in the distance and suddenly he hand an idea. He could win Meena a prize if he just played the right game.

"Come wif me. I 'ave an idea." He said and Meena nodded eagerly. In that moment, Johnny was sure that Meena would follow him just about anywhere he asked. He led her through the crowds of people, weaving through them expertly. Meena stayed close to him, still a little nervous around crowds, not that he minded the feel of her gripping his hand and her dress brushing against his legs.

He stopped in front of a tower with a bell on top and notches that had silly saying about the strength of the player if they managed to reach those points. Johnny paid the operator two dollars for two tries and took off his leather jacket. Meena readily accepted it and stood back as Johnny hefted the large hammer and got ready to swing. With a grunt he swung the hammer in an arch and landed it on the platform. The little meter went up to just before the bell where the word: STUD! had been painted onto the wood.

"One more try kid." The operator said as he and the onlookers watched as Johnny hefted the hammer over his shoulder once more. This time he glanced back at Meena who was cheering his name and clapping excitedly.

 _The time for asking is over,_

He took a deep breath and gathered his strength.

 _The time for living is now,_

He felt his blood pounding in his veins and the roaring sound of the people moving through the carnival and talking ran circles around in his head.

 _This is a limited offer,_

Meena's voice broke through the overwhelming crowd, "Go Johnny!" And that was all it took.

 _Let me show you how…_

He swung and the hammer came down hard enough to send the marker all the way up to the bell, ringing it loud enough for everyone to hear. Johnny cheered and excitedly embraced Meena who flooded him with congratulations and praise. When he chose his prize he picked out a stuffed cupcake pillow, which he immediately presented to Meena. She tentatively accepted it, looking up at him with surprise clear on her face.

"Thank you Johnny." She said with a soft smile and Johnny just smirked in response. It was a thrill to see her cradling his gift so close to her chest, with obvious affection.

"I fin' it's time for wahn last fin'." He said as he steered her towards the large Ferris wheel that stood proudly in the middle of the fair. They got in line and eagerly waited for their turn to get in the seat.

 _But wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love._

When it was their turn Johnny helped Meena into the seat and then quickly joined her. Only when the operator pulled the bar down over their laps did it hit Johnny that this was the moment that he had been worrying about all night. The romantic Ferris wheel ride that would ultimately end in their first kiss.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

He gulped and as the ride slowly began to move them towards the top he tried to make small talk, both to break the silence and to calm him down.

"So uh… 're ya excited that we're doin' a duet together." He asked and Meena shyly pulled her ears in close to her head. After a few moments of silence she said something that made his heart start pounding in his chest again.

"There's no one I would rather do it with." So much for calming down and acting cool. He smiled nervously and wiped his sweaty palms against the fabric of his dark jeans.

 _Wait just a minute now you've got me thinkin' bout love._

"Same 'ere." He tried to be smooth but he knew that Meena could tell that he was nervous. He might as well broadcast it to the world. The ride continued to climb higher and the lit expanse of the city was revealed to them piece by piece. They lapsed into silence once more and Johnny gazed at Meena as she marveled at the beautiful sight laid out before them like a gift from the heavens.

"Oh my gosh." She breathed and clutched his hand in hers, her eyes never leaving the sea of lights that seemed to stretch for miles.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

The ride stopped for a moment at the top, letting them enjoy the view for just a few minutes longer. This was it. This was his chance. Johnny cleared his throat anxiously and Meena's attention switched over to him.

"Meena 'ave ya 'ad a good time tonight… 'ere…. wif me?" He spoke slowly and he could see Meena's cheeks turning a slight pink in the lingering light of the fair.

"Yes I have." She leaned in slightly and Johnny followed, moving a couple inches closer.

 _Don't understand it but nobody does._

"I'm glad cause…well… tonight is pretty special." He murmured and leaned in again, Meena coming the rest of the way so that their lips were mere inches from each other. Now was the time, it was his only chance. He couldn't mess this up, there was no way.

"How so?" Meena asked breathlessly and Johnny tilted his head to get a better angle.

 _Won't try to hide it cause nobody does._

"Because…" He paused as fear overwhelmed him out of nowhere and the sense of impending doom seemed inescapable. He tried to move, close his eyes, do anything, but he was petrified.

And then the ride jerked forward and the made their way down back to the ground. They immediately jumped apart and Johnny was overwhelmed not by fear but by his failure.

Meena, on the other hand was filled with confusion and disappointment that she had read Johnny's signals wrong. Or at least she thought she had been reading them right until now. Now she was left feeling unsure and analyzing her every move to see if she had done something wrong.

After the Ferris wheel debacle the good mood of the night was dampened and they wordlessly walked to the car. Meena clutched her cupcake pillow to her chest as she got into the truck and looked out the window in silence. As Johnny drove her home and the awkward feeling was resting thickly in the air between them. Meena glanced at Johnny who was staring listlessly at the road, resting his cheek in one hand.

 **How was she supposed to know what was going on in his head?**


	7. How Will I Know?

Meena hummed quietly to herself as she tinkered with the lights on stage. They had been flashing intermittently for the last couple of days and Buster had asked her to come in early to fix them. He had walked her through fixing the first light and then disappeared back into his office. Meena was a fast learner when it came to stage fixtures so she had quickly become comfortable doing such tasks on her own. Now, however, she had close to twenty lights to check and possibly fix, all before everyone else arrived for the day. She looked around for a second to make sure that she was alone before she started to sing along to her favorite artist, Wolfney Howlsten.

 _There's a boy I know, he's the one I dream of_

 _Looks into my eyes, takes me to the clouds above_

Meena was struck by the lyrics, the first few lines cutting straight to her core as soon as they rang out from her headphones. She stopped her tinkering for a second as the thoughts that she had been suppressing since last night surfaced once more. She sat down on a steel chair and stared off into the distance, singing along softly to the song she knew by heart.

 _Ooh I lose control, can't seem to get enough_

 _When I wake from dreaming, tell me is it really love_

Last night all that she had been able to think about was how close Johnny's lips had been to her own, how magical that night had been, and how awkwardly it had ended. Johnny was the man of her dreams, literally. She didn't even have enough digits to count how many times she dreamed of him wrapping his arm around her waist, holding her hand, kissing her. Last night she had almost fulfilled one of those fantasies, Johnny's lips had been so close to hers, mere inches away from kissing her.

He had been so romantic all night, regaling her with gifts, taking her on rides, and giving her one of the best nights of her life. And it had all culminated in a ride on the Ferris wheel. They had gotten stuck at the very top, where they could see the entire carnival, the stars, the city. She had never seen anything like it, frankly it took her breath away, so much so that when Johnny had leaned over she had been convinced that she would pass out if he would have kissed her.

But he didn't. He froze and then the moment was broken as the ride jerked forward and brought them ever closer towards the ground. The night had ended very quickly after that. He had been silent the whole way home, the atmosphere in the car thick with discomfort. Meena had been almost relieved to get out of the car.

 _How will I know (Don't trust your feelings)_

Maybe he had realized exactly whom he had taken out to the carnival. After all, she wasn't the most beautiful girl by far. He probably meant for their outing to be an actual thank you rather than a date like she had so hoped for.

 _How will I know_

Maybe she had disgusted him. Maybe she had said something to repulse him, done something that disgusted him. She had wracked her brains for hours, trying to remember what exactly she had said or done, but there was nothing. She had sat there on her bed, hugging her favorite pillow close to her chest, and thinking to herself until her mother had walked in and forced her to go to sleep.

 _How will I know (Love can be deceiving)_

Even then she laid awake in the darkness, staring up at the twinkling stars that winked at her from above. She could think of nothing. As far as she was concerned, it was a perfect night. But then, how could it have gone so wrong?

 _How will I know_

 _How will I know if he really loves me_

Maybe that night hadn't had the perfect ending but the next morning when she woke up she was still reliving every good moment that they had together the night before. Every time he had turned the crooked smile in her direction and made her heart jump up into her throat. Each deep laugh that shook her to the very core and made her want to do anything it took to illicit that sound again. The feeling of his hand clasped in hers as they ran through the fun house, his body heat making her cheeks red with excitement.

But every good moment was still tainted with the awkwardness that the Ferris wheel had created. And so her thoughts as she rode the bus to the theatre were such a jumble that she almost missed her stop.

 _I say a prayer with every heartbeat_

At the same time, Meena couldn't bring herself to resent Johnny for confusing her. He was still such a sweet gentleman who had always been there for her. They were becoming closer and now she saw him more often than before this duet assignment. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Every time she caught sight of him her heart would start to pound hard and fast in her chest and she would get tongue-tied. He was just so handsome and kind how could she not become a total mess around him?

 _I fall in love whenever we meet_

She sighed as another light fizzled out and she grabbed the tools she needed to fix it. She wished that she could talk to someone about how she was feeling, but the person she most wanted to speak to was the subject of her frustration. She couldn't talk to Johnny about Johnny. Maybe Rosita or Ash, but they were probably too busy to hear about her 'date' and the turmoil that currently engulfed her mind. She brushed off the idea of letting these thoughts out and instead tried to absorb herself back in her work.

It didn't help.

Johnny just popped right back into her mind.

 _I'm asking you cause you know about these things_

 _How will I know if he's thinking of me_

It seemed that he was thinking of her at the same time because her phone buzzed in her pocket right in that moment. When she opened her phone she was met with a short but thoughtful text from him about how fun last night was. It simultaneously made her smile while also throwing her deeper into confusion. What did all of this mean?! She shook her head, unable to formulate a reply in her state and instead shoved her phone back into her pocket.

 _I try to phone but I'm too shy (can't speak)_

For all of one second she cursed the strength of her feelings for Johnny, but a voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother's immediately rang out in her head, scolding her for cursing love. Sure falling in love was hard, especially when she fell in love with someone like Johnny, but she couldn't let one discouraging event turn her away from the feeling. Because even though it made her heart jump and fall like an elevator and it turned her into a babbling mess it was still the best feeling she had felt in a long time.

 _Falling in love is so bitter sweet_

 _This love is strong why do I feel weak_

As Meena moved on to the last couple of lights that she had to fix her phone vibrated again. She ignored it, thinking that it was Johnny again. At the moment she wasn't strong enough to see him let alone text him back. Over this issue her frazzled mind was at war with her fluttering heart and it was starting to give her a headache. She shook her head, trying to clear it but the thoughts just wouldn't go away, and Wolfney Howlsten wasn't helping her one bit.

 _Oh, wake me, I'm shaking, wish I had you near me now_

 _Said there's no mistaking, what I feel is really love_

Of course she was in love with Johnny. She thought to herself, half replying to Wolfney's lyrics. She had been in love with him from the moment he had saved her from drowning in the theatre accident. As she had kneeled on the concrete, sputtering and gasping for air gratitude had filled her entire being so strongly that all she could do was stare at Johnny's back as everyone else gaped at the collapsed theatre. After that she had buried her feelings deep in the recesses of her mind, hoping that it would stay buried forever so that she could at least have a friendship with Johnny. It had worked for a year, but what she didn't realize was that, without her permission, her feelings were growing stronger. Now they were exposed and raw, demanding her undivided attention when she was still afraid to look too deeply. On some level she knew that she was on love with him but she just told herself that she couldn't acknowledge it unless Johnny showed the same interest. That didn't stop her from hoping.

Meena squeaked in pain as an exposed wire shocked her hand. She shook it and the pain cleared her mind enough for her to realize that she was standing on a step stool doing electric work with only half of her attention on her task. She groaned in frustration and turned up the music pounding out of her headphones. She focused back in on the stubborn light and began to sing louder in an attempt to drown out her thoughts. She was mildly successful in that her thoughts left her alone but they still lingered behind the walls she put up, ready to pounce when she was vulnerable again.

 _How will I know (Don't trust your feelings)_

As Ash was walking into the theatre early that morning she texted Meena, hoping for some kind of information about last night. Johnny had come home moping and quiet and had refused to tell her what happened, so all that she knew was that their perfectly planned date had ended in disaster. As she was entering the theatre she caught sight of Rosita hurrying up the stairs so she stopped to hold the door open for her.

 _How will I know_

"How did it go last night?" Rosita asked anxiously as she and Ash walked slowly into the lobby.

"I dunno what happened but Johnny came home looking like somebody had kicked his puppy." Ash shook her head and shoved her hands into her pockets in frustration. Rosita frowned and the concern in her sweet eyes was so apparent Ash felt it coming off of her in waves.

 _How will I know (Love can be deceiving)_

"Did you try talking to him?" She asked but Ash just waved off her question and let out a deep, long-suffering sigh.

"Yeah. The idiot just ignored me and went to his room." She shook her head but Rosita nodded in understanding, and something told Ash that she was about to lay down some mom wisdom.

"He probably needs time to process. We should talk to Meena. Maybe she is feeling ready to open up about it." She gave Ash a small smile but Ash stopped dead in the lobby instead of replying.

 _How will I know_

"Did you hear that?" She asked Rosita who stopped and listened for a second. Once again the faint echo of Meena's singing voice reached the lobby. Both women recognized the lyrics and the concern appeared on Rosita's face again. Ash, on the other hand, was filled with determination and she led the way into the theatre to find Meena and potentially some information about what had happened last night. When they walked into the main theatre Meena was onstage fixing some light while singing her heart out, her body swaying slightly to the music.

 _How will I know if he really loves me_

Rosita grabbed Ash's arm and slowed her approach, giving Meena some time to vent her frustrations through her song. Ash groaned in annoyance, her impatience demanding that she speak to Meena that very second. Instead she walked slowly, her arm still clasped in Rosita's firm grip. She found herself relaxing as she appreciated the strength of Meena's signing voice and how easily it seemed to flow through her when she wasn't consumed by her stage fright. in retrospect it probably wasn't the best idea to open their conversation by throwing Meena off when she was so obviously wrapped up in the song.

 _If he loves me, if he loves me not_

 _If he loves me, if he loves me not_

 _If he loves me, if he loves me not_

"Shit." Ash whispered to herself as the meaning behind the lyrics and the passionate way in which Meena sang them hit her. Johnny had done something, probably something stupid, to confuse Meena about his feelings. If he had made them clear he wouldn't have come home pouting and Meena wouldn't be belting out these words. As Ash and Rosita climbed onto the stage Meena finished up her electrical work and just stood there staring at nothing and singing the end of the song. With each lyric her voice got softer, weaker, and filled with emotion.

 _How will I know (Don't trust your feelings)_

 _How will I know_

 _How will I know (Love can be deceiving)_

 _How will I know_

 _How will I know if he really loves me_

Meena choked out the last lyric like it had been choking her for some time but Ash and Rosita knew that it was something else. They exchanged looks of concern and then walked out onto the stage. Their entrance startled Meena slightly, making her jump. She tried to plaster on a fake smile as she removed her headphones but Ash wasn't going to stand for another fake out.

"So I'm guessing that the date didn't go well." She blurted out and Rosita pinned her with a disapproving glare. The fake smile that Meena had been trying to build suddenly grumbled and she collapsed into a sitting position on the stage, her head in her hands. Ash's eyes widened in panic and Rosita rushed over to Meena's side, immediately rubbing her back and whispering comforting words. Meena's sobs were muffled by her hands but that didn't stop every single one from stabbing Ash in the chest. She had never seen Meena cry, and now that she had she decided that even if it took beating up that dumb gorilla she would do everything in her power to prevent it from happening again.

After a few minutes Meena calmed down and looked up at them, " I'm so confused." Her eyes were read and puffy and her cheeks were stained with dried tears but instead of despair, Ash saw frustration and confusion in her face. Maybe there was still hope for the two of them. But if that hope was going to stay alive she was going to have to do some serious damage control. Rosita sat down, still stroking her back comforting and Ash hurried over to sit on the other side of Meena.

"Why don't you tell us what happened honey?" Rosita prompted gently and when Meena looked to Ash for confirmation she nodded and put her tiny hand on Meena's knee, trying desperately to send her strength and comfort. Meena took a deep breath, nodded to herself as encouragement and then launched into her tale about the night in question.

As Ash listened to the story she was impressed by how well Johnny had listened to her instructions and she was starting to wonder how things had gone so wrong when Meena mentioned the Ferris wheel. Ash had to physically stop herself from face palming as Meena described how Johnny had frozen and then how awkward their drive home had been.

' _I'm gonna kill him.'_ She thought to herself as Meena finished her story.

"…and now I'm so confused. Was it really a date or does he want to be just friends? Was he going to kiss me or was it just a mistake?" Meena began to hyperventilate a little as she got herself worked up, and tears began to well up in her eyes again.

"Well it sounds to me like Johnny was just nervous sweetie." Rosita chimed in, hoping to hold off another round of crying.

"Yeah! Who wouldn't be when they're about to kiss a gorgeous animal like you." Ash chimed in with a comforting smile. Meena smiled for a second before looking down at her hands sadly.

"But Ash I'm not beautiful, I'm just f-" She started to say in her soft, quiet voice but Ash cut her off before she could say another word.

"Don't you dare say another word Meena." Ash said vehemently, standing up and pointing at her startled friend, "You are beautiful and kind and you have a voice that puts everyone else in this world to shame. You are the total package and if Johnny can't see that then we'll just have to make him see that because you two deserve each other. Believe me I've seen first hand what it looks like when two people aren't right for each other and you and Johnny… you're the opposite of Lance and I." Her heart trembled a little bit at the mention of her past relationship but she ignored it, deciding that now was the time to comfort Meena, not dwell on her own mistakes.

"She's right sweetheart." Rosita chimed in and stood as well, pulling Meena to her feet. Once Meena was standing she busied herself with adjusting her rumpled clothing putting her back together.

"Not every first date can go according to plan, and this was a first date. You of all people know how nerves can get the best of you. There's nothing wrong with you and there's nothing wrong with Johnny. You just need another chance and then I guarantee you will know. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but you'll feel it and then you'll just know."

Meena swept them both up into a hug and for a moment they just stood there in silence, hugging each other tightly. Ash was the first to start to squirm, her need to maintain her aloof image prompting her to bring them back down to Earth.

Meena quickly set her down and blushed slightly.

"Sorry Ash." She said softly but Ash just smirked and winked at her.

"It's fine. You can't help that you're a big mush." Meena giggled and shook her head but for the first time that day a genuine smile was growing on her face.

"Feel better?" Rosita asked, her cheery smile prompting them all to smile a little bigger.

"Yeah...actually I do." Meena smiled gratefully and gave Rosita another grateful hug.

While they were distracted Ash took out her phone and sent Johnny a short but encouraging text message.

 **You've still got a chance. Don't mess this one up.**

"Alright alright no more hugs." Ash put away her phone and playfully shooed them apart. She grabbed Meena's hand and began ushering her to her practice room.

"Your guitar is in your practice room and we have a lot of work to do. By the end of the week you better be able to play me **something beautiful... and a little sad.** "


	8. Something Beautiful and Lost

_Tragedy happened so quickly, and he wasn't even there when it hit._

As soon as Johnny had arrived at the theatre that morning he was intent on finding Meena and apologizing for how he ruined their date. He wanted to tell her that he thought she was amazing, and beautiful and perfect. He wanted to ask her on another date... if she forgave him. He was completely ready after the straight hour that he had spent staring at himself in the mirror and giving himself the pep talk to end all pep talks. He never got the chance to do any of that. He didn't even get fully inside the theatre.

As soon a he stepped into the lobby Ash had coming run up to him with an annoyed look on her face. "Pretty Boy!" She called out he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Wot's up Ash?" he asked when he came to a stop in front of him, panting slightly.

"Meena forgot her guitar at Rosita's place the other night when we were practicing there and I want to work with her some more today. Can you go get it for me?" She asked, giving him a pleading look that looked uncomfortably foreign on her face. Johnny was decidedly thrown of guard by her request and the look on her face. Rosita's place was across town and it would take him at least twenty minutes to get there.

"Uh yeah sure. I just need ter talk ter Meena really quick." He tried to push past her but Ash staid standing in his way, the pleading look long gone. It was replaced by a commanding look that kind of scared him.

"You can do that when you get back Lover Boy but I need that guitar right now." She raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to argue with her again.

"But-" He tried bravely but Ash raised her other eyebrow and suddenly he was rushing out of the theatre, fumbling with his keys as he ran. When he got in the truck he sped away, glancing in his rearview mirror at the theatre. Ash was standing on the sidewalk watching him drive away with a smug look on her face.

And just like that his tentative good mood was shattered and he grumpily drove across town to Rosita's house. He got there just as Norman was leaving for work and the pig was all too glad to let him into the house to grab the big black guitar case sitting in his living room. For some odd reason Norman was uncharacteristically chatty that day and even thouh Johnny was in a rush he couldn't just interrupt the usually silent pig. He was too much of a gentleman for that.

As they were chatting his phone lay forgotten on the leather seat of his truck. The screen lit up and the phone vibrated against the seat as he received call after call from Ash's cell phone. After the fourth time that she was sent to voicemail his screen lit up one last time with a text and then it went dark.

When Johnny got back into the truck his urgency to talk to Meena grabbed his focus once again and he sped through the streets of their little city, hurrying back to the theatre where he hoped he would find her waiting for him. He had so much to talk to her about, so many thoughts running through his head, he wasn't even sure he would make sense he just knew that he needed to get it out or he might explode from the pressure.

When he arrived at the theatre Ash wasn't waiting for him in the lobby like he expected. Puzzled, he ventured deeper into the theatre, looking more for Meena than anyone else. That quickly changed when he saw that the stage was still lit up like it had been recently used, but the building was no longer echoing with familiar voices. This wasn't the comforting silence of the theatre shutting down after a day or rehearsals, it was the kind of silence that was filled with tension and some other emotion that he couldn't quite place. He felt a strong pull in his chest telling him that something was wrong and he belonged somewhere else in this moment. Johnny grappled with his phone as he yanked it out of his pocket, hoping against hope that someone had texted him, telling them where they were going, where he was supposed to be.

When he looked down at the phone screen and saw all of the missed calls from Ash,

his stomach flipped uncomfortably and his heart began to pound nervously. But when he finally saw the text message his blood ran cold in his veins and the breath he had just taken flew out of his lungs. He stood frozen for a second before tightening his grip on the guitar case and sprinting out of the theatre towards his truck. The text was still open on his phone as he drove like a madman, the chilling words glaring out at him.

'Going to the Hospital. Emergency. Meena needs you. Get here. NOW.'

 **I can't believe it's over**

 **I watched the whole thing fall**

 **And I never saw the writing that was on the wall**

He drove faster than he ever had before, his heart leaping in his throat as a million thoughts raced through his panicked mind. What was wrong that Meena needed him? Was she hurt? Was she dying? He couldn't bear to think about her on a hospital bed, scared and hurt. He had to be there.

 **If I'd only knew**

 **The days were slipping past**

 **That the good things never last**

 **That you were crying**

He should have known, he berated himself as he glared up at the red light that was currently halting his mad dash. He should have known that things were going too well in his life. Everytime he was happy the world lashed out and took that away. Well he wouldn't let it take Meena away he vowed to himself as the light finally turned to green and his tires screeched as he took off.

 **Summer turned to winter**

 **And the snow it turned to rain**

 **And the rain turned into tears upon your face**

As if on cue, dark clouds began to roll in as he neared the hospital and once he grew close to the huge medical building they let loose and torrents of rain poured down on him.

His day had been so bright when it started out and now it felt like the world spontaneously decided to fall apart.

 **I hardly recognized the girl you are today**

 **And, God, I hope it's not too late**

Johnny pulled into the hospital parking lot and when he saw the crowded space he considered leaving his truck in the fire lane if it meant that he could get to Meena faster. But the universe gifted him with a little luck as a spot opened up right near the front entrance. Johnny whipped into it and leapt out of the car without any regard for the hard rain as it soaked him through.

 **Hmmm... It's not too late**

He stopped for a second, frozen by some unknown source, and looked back in the truck where Meena's guitar case leaned innocently against the passenger window. In a split second decision he reached in and grabbed the case, cradling it to his chest as he locked the car and then ran through the rain towards the waiting room.

 **'Cause you are not alone**

 **I'm always there with you**

 **And we'll get lost together**

 **'Til the light comes pouring through**

He burst through the front doors, startling a few of the animals in the waiting room as well as the desk attendant. He sped over to the desk attendant, his soaked converse squeaking and squishing with every step.

"I'm lookin' for Meena. Where is she? Is she ok?" He rapidly fired questions at the confused antelope.

"I'm sorry sir I don't have a Meena Jones in my computer." He tried to comfort Johnny but the confused, worried gorilla just gritted his teeth and clinched his fist in frustration.

"Well find 'er!" He bit out, trying frantically to keep his roiling emotions at bay. In that moment he wanted to cry and scream in fury at the same time. He just needed to see Meena. She had to be ok.

 **'Cause when you feel like you're done**

 **And the darkness has won**

 **Babe, you're not lost**

"Johnny!" A familiar voice called out and he whipped around to find Ash waiting by the doors that led deeper into the hospital. He abandoned his post at the desk and rushed over to her as she pulled him into a big hug.

He was thoroughly shocked by the embrace but at the same time it helped calm the angry sea of emotions that battered at his control, trying to break free.

Ash pulled back and grabbed his arm, leading him through the endless maze of halls to an unknown destination.

 **When your world's crashing down**

 **And you can't bear the thought**

 **I said, babe, you're not lost**

"Ash. Wot 'appened? 'A is meena? Is she 'urt? Is she ok? Say summit!" He didnt give her a chance to answer as his panic mounted once more. Ash squeezed his hand painfully until he came back down to earth, staring at her with an endless string of questions in his eyes.

"Meena is...she's ok considering." Ash started and Johnnygrew more confused. If she was ok why were they in a hospital? Why did Ash look so sad?

"Meena isn't in the hospital Johnny." She stopped his thoughts and a wave of relief mixed with confusion washed over him with such force that his knees went weak. But her next words sent another wave of worry for Meena hit him like a truck.

"Her grandfather is."

"Wot 'appened?" He asked quietly as he collected himself, realizing that Meena needed his strength and his comfort right now.

"Heart attack." Ash sighed and shook her head, her faced creased with worry lines, "It was a pretty serious one. The doctors should be bringing him back into the room at any moment."

Johnny increased their pace and soon they arrived at a corner room designed for larger animals. Inside, Meena's family and the theatre family were standing around a bed where Meena's grandfather lay comfortably while various machines monitored his vitals.

 **Life can show no mercy**

 **It can tear your soul apart**

 **It can make you feel like you've gone crazy**

 **But you're not**

His heartbeat was weak and he looked rather pale and sickly, but his grey eyes glinted with a familiar stubborn gleam.

Johnny looked around the room for the subject of his worries but he couldn't find her among the familiar faces in the room.

"Where's Meena?" He wondered aloud and all attention turned to him. Meena's mother rushed over and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, not even giving his soaked form a second thought.

"Oh honey you made it. I knew you would come." She said, her voice slightly hoarse and her eyes red from crying.

"Of course Missus Jones." He patted her back comfortingly as she pulled back from the hug, "Na where is Meena?"

Leslie looked out the door worriedly as tears sprang up in her eyes once more. Rosita appeared out of nowhere and led Leslie over to a chair next to Mr. Jones's bed.

"She ran out crying when they brought him in. She hasn't come back yet." She offered up as an explanation as Johnny set Meena's guitar down against the wall. Johnny frowned and glanced out the door, hoping that Meena would appear in that moment so he could sweep her up into his comforting embrace.

"Boy..." Mr. Jones said weakly, reaching out to grab Johnny's arm. He kneeled next to the elderly elephant's bedside and leaned in so he could hear what he was trying to say.

"Go get my granddaughter boy." He looked like speaking hurt him and Johnny felt a sympathetic pang in his chest for the old man, "I need you to bring her back to me. It has to be you. She needs you."

He gave Johnny a pleasing look and then collapsed back into his pillows, his eyes closing slightly as exhaustion tried to take him over. However, the old elephant was too stubborn to succumb.

 **Things have seemed to change**

 **There's one thing that's still the same**

 **In my heart you have remained**

 **And we can fly fly fly away**

Johnny stood up and headed towards the door, nodding to Ash when she looked at him questioningly.

"I'll be wite back. I'm garn ter find Meena." He whispered and then headed out into the halls.

 **'Cause you are not alone**

 **And I am there with you**

 **And we'll get lost together**

He wandered aimlessly for a bit, hoping that he would catch a glimpse of her or he would somehow stumble upon her. When his search was fruitless after twenty minutes he decided to change tactics and began to ask nurses and passing hospital staff if they saw her.

After a few noncommittal answers an elderly bison directed him to the sky bridge where she had seen a young elephant heading a little bit ago. Johnny thanked her and took off towards the skybridge, every part of him urging him to go faster, to find her, to make sure she knew that she wasn't alone.

 **'Til the light comes pouring through**

 **'Cause when you feel like you're done**

 **And the darkness has won**

 **Babe, you're not lost**

He turned the corner and pushed through the heavy doors into the deserted skybridge. He scanned the big glass tube quickly and found Meena sitting on the floor hugging her knees to her chest as her sobs wracked her entire frame.

 **When the world's crashing down**

 **And you can not bear the cross**

 **I said, baby, you're not lost**

Johnny approached her slowly, trying not to startle her, but Meena didn't hear him or wasn't paying attention to who it was. When he got close to her he kneeled down in front of her and tentatively stroked her arm.

"Go away." She whispered morosely but Johnny could tell that she didn't mean it. She was in desperate need of his comfort.

 **I said, baby, you're not lost**

Johnny slid his hand up to her cheek and gently lifted her head so he could gaze down at her tear-streaked face. Before she could look away to hide the broken, lost look in her eyes he tilted her chin up to look at him. She was captured in his concerned gaze almost immediately.

 **I said, baby, you're not lost**

He slowly helped her stand, her limbs shaken and weak from the draining sadness that overcame her. He wrapped his arms around her slowly and she buried her face in his chest, gradually soaking his damp t-shirt with more of her tears. He stroked her head comfortingly and kept her secure in his embrace.

 **I said, baby, you're not lost**

"I've got ya Meena." He whispered comfortingly, rocking her back and forth slightly, "It's ok. I've got ya. I'm 'ere."

Slowly her sobs subsided and her shaking faded until she was still in his embrace. Her breathing was still shallow and when she looked up at him there was a whirlwind of confusing and upsetting emotions consuming her. But she had stopped crying, that was what was important. He was helping her, even in some small way.

The only sound that filled the sky bridge was the pattering of the rain drops on the glass as Meena rested her head on Johnny's chest and closed her eyes. He didn't need to say a word as he held her and stroked her form. She wasn't alone anymore and she knew that. They stood in silence for an unknown amount of time before Johnny finally spoke up, his original mission coming to mind.

"Yer grandpa was askin' for ya." He said quietly and Meena stiffened against him but didn't pull away.

"Johnny I-" she sounded beaten down and broken, in a way that Johnny had never heard or seen before, "I can't g-go back in there...seeing him like th-that. I can't... I can't..." she trailed off as she held her breath and gritted her teeth, trying desperately to keep a fresh round of tears at bay.

"Shhh it's ok Meena. Let it aht." He tried placating her but it wasn't enough this time as she brokenly whispered 'I can't' into his chest, still holding back the tears with all of her might.

It was time for a different approach. When in doubt he depended on his voice and in that moment one song wouldn't get out of his head. So he began to sing, still embracing her, hoping that it would work.

 _Beautiful_

 _You are stronger than you know_

 _Oh, you're something beautiful_

Meena looked up at him in surprise when his comforting voice echoed through the enclosed space, punctuated by the count of raindrops on the glass.

 _Know you're hurting and you feel like_

 _Heart is burning from the love that's been cut off_

 _But day light comes in and time for you is all I got_

The lyrics hit Meena hard and she tried to hide in his chest but Johnny pulled back until they were in more of a slow dancing position rather than an embrace. She was forced to look up at him as he began to move them in a simple dance.

She felt so confused and full of conflicting emotions. She savored Johnny's sweet embrace but at the same time she just wanted to take out her emotions on him. But again she didn't want to be weak in front of him, she wanted him to see her as a strong animal, like he was.

 _And I promise you'll get through this, you can do this_

He looked down at her as he sang to her and Meena realized that his face was devoid of any kind of judgement. He was here to help and maybe she didn't need to keep her walls up, maybe she could really be how she felt.

 _Because all that you need_

 _Is a little room to breathe_

To her own surprise Meena breathed in deeply and let out a deep shuddering breath, accompanied by a stream of worried tears.

 _Breathe in and let it go, oh_

 _Your tears are not for nothing_

 _Let them fall off_

 _In every tear drop there is something beautiful, oh_

Johnny reached up and wiped away a stream of tears and then his hand returned to cup her cheek and stroke her face softly. Meena took another deep breath as he tears started to slow and she stared at Johnny, trust and pleading in her eyes.

She couldn't do this alone, it was too much. But if he helped her maybe she could learn to handle the crippling fear that had struck her as soon as her mother said the word heart attack.

 _You are stronger than you know, oh_

 _Oh you're something beautiful_

With him she could find her strength. He definitely saw it hidden in her somewhere and he would help her find it. Meena relaxed into the makeshift dance that they were doing, instinctively moving as Johnny directed her.

 _Fighting shadows, in a game that you can't win_

 _Losing battles, in a war under your skin_

Meena felt her inner turmoil calm under the influence of Johnny's song as each emotion stirred up began to calm and her heart beat normally for the first time since her nightmare started. It felt good to calm the inner fight her emotions had been engaged in. She hadn't known how to feel since it began and now the most important emotion began to surface, concern, accompanied by and intense love for her grandfather.

 _It's just a blessing in disguise_

 _Without darkness, there is no light_

Of course that darkness still waited for her but Johnny's song was like a white knight that instead of rescuing the princess from her demons, gave her armor and a sword and backed her up in battle.

 _Just hold on a little longer, and I promise you'll get through this_

The darkness she battled was the spillover from her mixed emotions about the father she never knew because of death and the father figure that had almost been taken from her today. She was intensely afraid of death but in this moment she had beaten it back. She couldn't be afraid. She needed to be strong for her family. And Johnny could help with that.

 _Because all that you need_

 _Is a little room to breathe_

She lifted her head off of Johnny's chest as the weight that had been pushing her down faded with each word that he sang in her ear.

 _Breathe in and let it go, oh_

 _Your tears are not for nothing_

 _Let them fall off_

 _In every tear drop there is something beautiful, oh_

The tears started to fade into the occasional drop and Johnny's arm around her waist squeezed her encouragingly. She took a shakeup breath, trying to release the tension in her body with each breath. It felt good to listen and feel his support, to just escape and take a deep breath.

 _You are stronger than you know, oh_

 _Oh you're something beautiful_

For the first time Meena's cheeks colored when he called her beautiful. It was encouraging in so many ways. He thought she was strong and beautiful so maybe she could be strong and beautiful.

 _Can't feel the love without the pain_

 _The sun wouldn't matter without the rain_

 _You're not required to carry the weight_

 _So let it go, here's my hand to hold_

 _At the end of it all, there's a smile for you waiting_

The rain finally gave up at the background noise ceased as the clouds started to move away and sunbeams lit up their refuge. Johhny's breath disappeared for a second when he saw her form illuminated by the bright light of the sun. He squeezed her hand that remained clasped in his own and shot the charming, crooked smile he knew she loved at her.

He was rewarded with a tentative, sweet smile and a feeble squeeze of his hand as her strength returned in more ways than one.

 _So..._

 _Breathe in and let it go, oh_

 _Your tears are not for nothing_

 _Let them fall off_

 _In every tear drop there is something beautiful, oh_

This time Meena joined him for the chorus, her voice still shaken from her sobs but the emotion and blooming confidence behind it were enough to make Johnny's smile grow. They breathed in and out together and suddenly Meena's breathing was normal and calming and had a rhythm of its own. It was a release not a desperate clamp ring for oxygen.

 _You are stronger than you know, oh_

 _Oh you're something beautiful_

Johnny spun the around to Meena's surprise and she tightened grip on his hand as she tried to keep up with him.

 _Let it go, let it go_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

Johnny slowed their movements until they came to a stop and resumed their embrace. He whispered the lyrics in her ear as he hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

Meena pushed away the fluttering feeling in her stomach when he kissed her forehead and slowly pulled back from his embrace. He released her and watched as she stood on her own. She seemed to be handling it well but when she reached over for his hand he gave it willingly. She may be strong but she still needed a little support.

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful baby, and you better believe that_

They began the slow walk back to the room, exiting the tunnel and weaving through the maze-like hallways. The whole way Meena kept taking deep breaths and Johnny watched her in amazement. He had meant every word that he sang to her and she was beautiful, especially in this moment, with her reddened eyes bright with determination, her tear streaked cheeks rosy and her grip tight on his hand.

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You deserve it all_

As they got closer to the room her grip tightened and she stopped halfway down the hall to take a deep breath and look at Johnny, the fear surfacing for a moment until he beat it down with an encouraging smile and a gentle squeeze of her hand.

 _You're something beautiful_

 _You're something beautiful_

 _Don't let them tell you you're not_

 _Just give it all that you got_

 _Cause you are more than enough_

 _You're something beautiful_

When they got to the doorway he released her hand as she ran over to her grandfather's bedside and envelopes him in a gentle hug. Her mother rubbed her back and her grandmother kissed her cheek. Johnny stood back and watched as the little family drew strength from each other.

After a few minutes they separated and Meena sat back in a chair, holding her grandfather's hand as she stroked it comfortingly.

"Meena?" Her grandfather suddenly spoke up and she leaned in so she could hear him.

"Yeah grandpa?" She prompted and he weakly pointed at her guitar.

"Could you play me a song? I want you to **take me to that celestial place** sweet girl." He asked with a smile and Meena broke out into a grin as she reached for her guitar.

"Anything for you Grandpa."


	9. Celestial

Dried tears stained Meena's cheeks like ink and her eyes were red with emotion, but she never seemed more confident to the people around her. They all had yet to see a true guitar performance from their friend and as she delicately tuned the strings in preparation for her performance, the room fell silent. Johnny leaned against the wall where Meena's guitar had been just moments ago. From his vantage point he could see the small flash of nerves in her eyes and how quickly it disappeared the moment her grandfather rested his hand on her knee. The small touch was simultaneously a comfort and an encouragement that inspired her deep breath and the first tentative notes sprang from her fingers.

The melody was simple and relaxed, so soft that the tension in the room seemed to lose its strength and fade out. It was as if the guitar made everyone take a deep breath and release their worries, their fears, their pain. Smiles started to grow like flowers after a rainstorm but none were brighter that Meena's grandfather as he watched his granddaughter close her eyes and begin to sing in that soft angelic voice he had treasured since she first discovered her music.

 _Oh, what a marvelous sight_

 _Oceans turn to gold right before my eyes_

Her voice was soft, tentative as she got used to her voice melding with the notes that floated from her guitar. A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth but her sheer concentration kept it at bay. Her gaze was locked onto the guitar as if looking up would cause everything to fall apart.

 _That vibrant color I crave_

 _Wish I could taste_

 _Take me there, take me there_

Slowly her confidence blossomed and her voice grew stronger, more passionate as she communicated her pure wonder at the world with her music. She looked up and her blue eyes were sparkling with a myriad of emotions. The remained locked on her grandfather as he smiled happily up at her, relaxed into the pillows of his bed.

 _I'll dive in the sky, oh the water's alive_

 _I'll float down to soak in the stars_

 _Swim away from the night, I am swallowed by light_

Meena's smile suddenly grew as she relaxed into the music, her fingers effortlessly flying over the strings, letting the gentle melody calm the room around her. She looked shyly up at Johnny as she sang the last line of the chorus. He blushed briefly but gave her an encouraging smile that had her turning her attention back to the room around her. Her audience was hanging onto her every word, her every note.

 _Suddenly love doesn't seem very far_

Her voice trailed off but she continued to strum her guitar, her hauntingly beautiful song extending past their room and out into the hallway. the nurses paused at their station and turned towards the corner room where soft guitar was emanating out to the hospital. The nurse assigned to the room drifted over in a mesmerized haze and stood in the doorway so that she could listen to the music.

Next door, an old sheep surrounded by solemn family and cold machines let out a sigh of relief as the calming music settled his loved ones and the weak heart desperately trying to beat in his chest. He closed his eyes and hummed along with the song even though he had no idea what the lyrics were. His raspy voice joined by his children and their families until the room was filled with the song.

Down the hall a wolf couple stared down at the wriggling pink bundle that they cradled delicately in their embrace. The new parents had been unable to settle the child even after she had eaten an been cleaned she still squabbled uncomfortably in the bright new world that she had been thrust into. It was an experience that was equally difficult for mothers and babies alike and anxiety mounted as the baby refused to relax. The faint notes of the song drifted into the quiet room and as if by magic her cries dissipated into whimpers that were easily silenced as she took in the scent of her mother and the warmth of her parents' embrace.

Meena's voice rose once more as her smile grew and Johnny felt like his pounding heart might just stop so that the only sound he could hear would be her singing. He, along with every one else, was mesmerized by the image that she crated, perched on the chair, guitar held close, fingers gliding over the chords, and bright joy coming off of her in waves.

 _Here in this castle that sits on a cloud_

 _Something consumes this heart, rooted deep down_

 _Now slowly I'm falling_

 _But I don't need saving_

 _You've already got me_

 _You've already got me_

The chords were deeper and rose with her voice until they were equally strong. Passersby were drawn to the doorway and soon it was crowded with strangers as they watched the impromptu performance. Meena didn't even notice them, her eyes closed and her voice soaring through each lyric like a bird in the sky.

 _This celestial glow is blinding_

For a moment Johnny's world stopped and he realized how wrong the line was in that moment. **Her** celestial glow was blinding. He had seen Meena perform before and he had memorized every look, every happy glint in her eyes, but this was a whole new level of majesty. He realized just how much deeper, how much purer a performance became once the song was an original, once you realized that every word came from a place deep inside the performer. His mouth went dry and his eyes went wide as an unfamiliar emotion spread through his body, making his limbs tingle oddly and his head grew light.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any better Meena's voice slowed and softened once more as her strumming grew gentle and soothing. He didn't realize it but Meena's grip on his heart seemed to solidify with every note.

 _I'll dive in the sky, oh the water's alive_

Meena painted a picture of a fantasy world once more, where she could immerse herself in the heavens and let their calming serenity permeate her entire being. Johnny felt his legs go weak and his imagination pranced away with his logic as he fervently hoped that someday he could give her that dream, bring her to that world.

 _I'll float down to soak in the stars_

The young wolf cub opened her mouth into a yawn that hit her with such force that she let out a surprised squeak. Her tiny eyes disappeared under her eyelids and suddenly the precious bundle of joy was sleeping peacefully on her mother's chest. Her doting father and loving mother gazed down at their new child and silently thanked whatever angel had brought calm to her with the gift of a song.

 _Swim away from the night, I'm swallowed by light_

Next door, surrounded by his singing family and the warmth of their love, an old sheep closed his eyes for the final time, a relieved sigh escaping his lips just as his heart stilled and his spirit left. His family members, while stricken by his loss, continued to hum along to Meena's song as they each said their farewells, each hoping that he found the celestial place that the music spoke of.

 _Suddenly love doesn't seem very far_

 _Take me there, take me there_

Meena let the last words linger in the air as she slowly strummed the last few notes of the song. When she finally went silent no one was quite willing to break the silence, so they all remained under the spell of her song, frozen in the room. After a few minutes Meena began to shift nervously as she looked around, wondering if her song was good or if no one could think of a way to let her down gently. Making a decision she turned towards her grandfather and anxiously asked him.

"Was the song ok Grandpa?" Her voice was a mere whisper as her anxiety fought to consume her, but as soon as her grandfather spoke the frantic feeling was washed away by a tidal wave of relief and pride.

"Baby girl." He reached out and took her hand in his own, giving it a loving squeeze, despite his shaking hands, "The angels were jealous of you just now."

Meena's face broke into a huge grin and she pulled her grandfather into a tight, relieved, embrace. He just chuckled hoarsely and held her close in return, kissing her cheek gently.

"We're not a family when **you're not there with us.** So don't you do running off again." He whispered so that only Meena could hear. She choked back a happy sob, replacing it with a laugh and nodded vigorously in the embrace.

"I promise."


	10. You're Not There

" _Johnny! Johnathan Bannerton! Come ovah and give your mum ah hug!" A woman's voice echoed out of sight of the camera and the lens revealed a tiny yard covered in green grass and a variety of toys. Suddenly a little gorilla toddler burst out of the bushes and ran towards the camera at full speed. He was covered in dirt and leaves and was wearing nothing but his diaper._

" _Oh mah goodness! Look at you child! You're a bloody mess!" The toddler just giggled and continued to run for the camera. The camera was jiggled around as the toddler collided with the camera operator. It was sent flying through the air and landed somewhere in the grass with the lens pointed towards the pair wrapped up in an embrace._

 _The filthy toddler had been captured by a beautiful female gorilla who didn't seem to register than her pristine sundress was now smeared with mud. Rather she was paying more attention to the wriggling child in her arms. She was peppering every inch of him with little kisses, laughing along with his high-pitched squealing._

" _Oh I've got you noh you little bally. You cannot escape mummy!" She yelled out and the toddler laughed along with her as he squirmed desperately. After another round of kisses the female gorilla released the baby and retrieved the camera. She carried it over to the back door of a little house. The toddler had his entire body pressed against it, trying fruitlessly to reach the door handle and escape._

 _The woman snatched him up into her arms and the camera was knocked around a bit until they were inside and a large male gorilla filled the lens._

" _Wot is garn on 'ere?" The male asked, his rough, heavily accented voice booming, but still soft with love and affection, "Looks loike our boy got into a bit of trouble." He let out a gravelly laugh that was rich with humor and affection._

 _When the female spoke you could tell that she was smiling just by the sheer happiness in her voice, "Ohh yes he did. And noh he's getting ah bath!" The toddler immediately began struggling harder and the camera was handed to the male as the female grappled with him and headed towards the bathroom. The last thing that the camera saw before the screen went black was the female's back, the toddler draped over her shoulder as he pouted adorably._

Ash closed the door to Johnny's room quietly, puzzling over what exactly she had seen in there. It had been over a week since the hospital incident and Meena's grandfather was recovering at home. The elephant was considerably cheerier, but was rarely seen outside of practice now that she spent the majority of her time working or helping her mother take care of her grandfather. Ash had a sneaking suspicion that all Meena really did was hover over him and spoil him with treats.

Ever since they left the hospital and returned to their apartment, Ash had noticed that Johnny was particularly subdued after the hospital and as the week went on he retreated to his room and spent most of his time buried under the covers and watching movies.

Ash had let him wallow for a week, keeping an eye on him just in case she needed to intervene. While he had seemed sad, and quiet, Ash let him be only because, at the same time everyday, he would sit down at his piano and play what sounded like an unfinished song.

But today the piano was silent, the videos almost constant, and he hadn't even emerged for food. Ash shot the door another worried glance and then grabbed her cell phone, dialing a familiar number.

Meena answered amidst the sounds of chaos of her home. Her grandfather was arguing with her mother about his freedom in the house and Meena's grandmother was giving Meena baking directions. Meena fit the phone in between her shoulder and her ear and cheerily greeted her friend.

"Hey Ash! What's up?"

"Hey Meena." Ash sighed and spoke quietly into the phone. Meena immediately sensed that something was wrong and handed the baking off to her grandmother so that she could focus on her friend.

"What's wrong Ash? You sound off..." she asked worriedly and Ash was silent on the other line for what felt like an eternity.

"It's about Johnny." Meena's heart froze in her chest at her friend's words and she waited with bated breath for what Was wrong, "Something's up with him. Can you come over?"

"Yeah. Yeah I-I'll be right over." Meena's reply came out in a rush of anxious breath and as soon as Ash hung up the phone she was a flurry of motion. She tore off her apron, threw on a jacket and raced towards the front door.

"I'm going out!" She called behind her as she slammed the door and ran as fast as she could to the bus stop. Luckily, she managed to catch the bus that was waiting at the stop and as soon as she boarded it took off towards downtown.

The entire ride she fiddled with her jacket, various scenarios flying through her head at a million miles a minute, each one only raising her anxiety another notch. By the time she reached the stop next to Ash and Johnny's apartment she was a veritable ball of nerves. She fumbled her way up the stairs and before she could even knock on the door Ash wrenched it open.

Meena had seen Ash's face through a variety of expressions but this level of concern and confusion was a new one. Before Meena could even open her mouth to unleash the tirade of questions that were ready to burst from her Ash pulled her to Johnny's door and cracked it open.

"He's been like this since we came home from the hospital that day." She whispered and then went quiet as the two girls peeked through the door and watched the scene that was unfolding on Johnny's TV.

 _The camera stealthily moved through the halls of a familiar home until it reached a closed door. Slowly, it opened the door a crack and peeked through at the clandestine happenings of the room._

 _A little gorilla in spaceship pajamas with unruly bedhead stood on a stool at the counter opposite the door, trying his best to stir a concoction in a bowl so big it was probably half his size. To his left, a curvy female gorilla wearing a robe and slippers was chopping fruit and watching her son with a critical eye._

" _Noh what does daddy fancy ohn his pancakes?" She asked him, her soft voice filled with mirth when her gap-toothed son grabbed a bag of chocolate chips and shook them excitedly._

" _Chocolate chips mummy!" He declared and Eloise Bannerton laughed loudly and snatched the chocolate chips away from her son before he could pour them into the batter._

" _No I'm pretty sure that's your favorite love. What does daddy fancy?" She asked again and the little boy pouted adorably as he reached for the bag of pecans._

" _Daddy loikes pecans." He grumbled and then began struggling with the bag of pecans, trying desperately to wrench open the bag. Eloise chuckled again and gently took the bag from her son, opening it rather easily. They poured the pecans into the batter and then Johnny kept stirring as his mother heated up the plan._

 _Eloise took a couple chocolate chips out of the bag and booped her son on the nose before popping the chocolate morsels into his mouth. Johnny giggled and gave his mother a bright smile as he chewed his treat._

" _I love you my sweet." Eloise pulled the boy close and peppered his face with kisses, prompting him to struggle playfully and release a round of shrieking giggles._

" _I love ya too mummy!" He declared loudly and Eloise released him with one last kiss on his unruly bedhead._

 _At that moment the cameraperson pushed open the door and Marcus's booming voice filled the small kitchen, "'Owabaht sum love for dad? Those pancakes ready yet?"_

 _His demand was only met with indignant yells as his wife and son descended on him, ushering him out of the kitchen until the screen went black._

"We're going in. He shouldn't be alone." Meena whispered and Ash nodded her confirmation as they slowly opened the door and wordlessly walked into the room. Johnny was curled up in his bed, surrounded by tissues with red-rimmed eyes and tearstained cheeks. He looked startled that they were there, but both girls just climbed into his bed and snuggled up next to him. Johnny let his confusion evaporate as he relaxed into their comforting embraces. He ended up curled up against Meena's side, his head resting on her shoulder as Ash clasped his arm and rested her head on his shoulder too.

They sat for what felt like forever before Johnny finally spoke in a voice that cracked with disuse, "I 'ate 'ospitals." His voice grew thick with emotion and his friends tightened their grip on him, as if they alone could keep him grounded, "It's where I lost me mum."

He stared at the TV in his room as the screen prompted him to move onto the next video. "I been in 'ere makin' this video for 'er."

He pressed play on the remote and his soft voice came through the speakers, accompanied by a slow but thundering beat that captured their attention and emotions in its tractor beam. And then the home videos started.

 _ **I only got you in my stories**_

 _ **And you know I tell them right**_

 _ **I remember you and I, when I'm awake at night**_

 _ **So give it up for fallen glory**_

 _ **I never got to say goodbye**_

 _ **I wish I could ask for just a bit more time**_

 _Parents were lined up on either side of a kids soccer field as their children raced across the field, chasing desperately after the soccer ball._

 _The camera zoomed in on Johnny who was wearing a right green and yellow soccer jersey. He was running at full tilt towards the player in the red jersey that controlled the ball and was getting dangerously close to the green team's goal._

 _Little Johnny forced the red player to kick the ball out of bounds and suddenly the green team had control of the ball again._

 _The camera panned over to Johnny's mother who was decked out in all green and was cheering at the top of her lungs for her son._

" _Yah Johnny! Spiffing shoh love!" The posh in her came out as she yelled exuberantly at her son, watching proudly as he took his position on the field and tried desperately to ignore his exuberant mother._

" _Go get 'em son!" Marcus called out from behind the camera and Johnny gave them an embarrassed little wave before turning his attention back to his teammate._

 _Johnny's teammate threw the ball into play and the game moved towards the other team's goal. Johnny was running like a little black bullet, calling for his teammate to pass the ball to him. When he remained open and unguarded Eloise went off._

" _What the bloohming hell are you doing out there?!" She roared angrily, gesturing wildly to Johnny as Marcus chuckled and captured every minute of it, "Pass the bloohming ball to my sohn! Learn to play foohtball you little-!"_

 _Marcus quickly cut her off as some of the other parents were starting to stare, "Oi love! It's just a kiddie footie game, not the bloody premiere league."_

 _Eloise looked at her husband sheepishly and shrugged before turning around just in time to see Johnny get the ball and make a break for the goal. They both started cheering loudly, jumping up and down in their excitement. The other parents watched them like they were circus freaks but neither parent paid attention, their every sense focused on their son._

 _Johnny expertly dodged the defensemen, using moves that were far too advanced for the other children, but he had been practicing them for months. He took a moment to set up his shot and then kicked the ball with all of his might. The goalie didn't even have time to jump for it before the net caught the ball._

 _Eloise and Marcus went crazy, the camera knocking around crazily as the referee called the game and all of the kids went running back to their parents. Johnny was at the head of the pack; his grin so wide that he looked like his face might break in half. The camera dropped to the ground as the family embraced in the middle of the soccer field._

 _ **Every step I take, you used to lead the way**_

 _ **Now I'm terrified to face it on my own**_

Meena's blue eyes were filled with tears unshed as she watched the family videos that kept popping up on the screen, moving along with Johnny's sad song, and bringing an onslaught of emotions with them. Suddenly she wasn't just comforting Johnny as he mourned his mother, she was remembering her father.

 _When her mother dropped her off at the firehouse that morning Meena had practically leapt out of the car in her excitement. She dashed across the driveway with a hurried wave in her mother's direction. She burst into the cavernous garage, weaving in between the two fire trucks that gleamed red in the bright lights. She knew the firehouse layout as well as her own so in no time she found herself in the mess area. This was usually where she found her father, who had become the unofficial cook for his team._

 _Sure enough he was standing in front of the counter, busily chopping vegetables as the small radio blared music in the background. Meena's father had never been discriminatory in his music choices and he could be found dancing along to hip-hop, country, and even rock. But his favorite music of all time was R &B. His deep voice echoed softly through the room as he followed the singer through the song, most of the time badly off key. Meena's face lit up with a huge grin as she set down her backpack and rolled up her sleeves._

 _As she came into her father's line of sight he looked up and gave her a small, warm smile, "Hey baby cakes." He nodded towards an empty cutting board and paring knife that were waiting for her on the other side of the counter, "You gonna help your old man?"_

" _Sure thing Daddy." She smiled back and grabbed a squash, expertly chopping it up on her cutting board. They both knew that one of Meena's favorite pastimes was cooking, and she would never pass up an opportunity to improve her skills, even if it was just a simple stew and rolls. Without looking up from his task, her father prompted her for information._

" _So how was school today honey?" He asked simply and Meena frowned a little at the thought of school. She proceeded to tell him all about their new lessons and her recent assignment grades, hoping that it would keep him from asking for any more details. He nodded and voiced little affirmations as she talked, but he was a quiet man, and unlike his exuberant wife he rarely pushed for information. So it was a rare thing that when Meena stopped talking he questioned her again._

" _Still having trouble with those kids huh?" He asked and Meena looked down at her cutting board, unwilling to meet her father's eyes. The sound of him chopping ceased and Meena braced for his next question, but it never came. Instead he just turned up the music and began to sing along louder. It was a familiar song and soon Meena found herself joining in, her sweet voice overpowering his low baritone as she perfectly matched the notes and rhythm of the song. They sang along with every song as they prepared the meal until the other fire fighters started to trickle in and hang out around the tables, waiting for the food to be ready._

 _Meena went quiet in front of the other animals but her father did not, his loud voice still booming along. Slowly, she grew comfortable enough to sing along as quietly as she could, her father's quiet confidence and love for music winning her over in the end. When a well-known song came on the radio most of the fire fighters joined in and suddenly the room was filled with a myriad of different voices with different levels of talent. Meena, soothed by the familiar motions of cooking and the camaraderie around her, finally let her full voice loose as the singer barreled through a solo. She didn't notice the room go quiet as the firefighters watched her in awe but as soon as the song was over she was startled by the loud applause and whistles of approval that filled the room in place of her voice._

 _She immediately turned scarlet and hid behind her ears bashfully. The cheers died down a little bit and Meena looked up just in time to see her father clapping along with the others, a proud smile practically breaking his face in half. Meena had only seen his smile that big a few times, when he was truly happy. A warm bubbly feeling stirred up in her stomach and she smiled shyly back at him, withdrawing slightly from her protective shell exposing her smile for everyone to see._

" _That's it baby girl." Her father said softly, and she had never been more proud of herself._

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **To celebrate the man that you made**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **To share in my success and mistakes**_

 _ **Is it fair?**_

 _ **You'll never know the person I'll be**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **With me**_

 _Once again the screen flared to life to reveal a dark room where the only light came from the stage in the front. A small, modest piano was settled on the center stage and behind it a crudely made poster board declared that it was the annual elementary school talent show. The room was suddenly filled with applause as Johnny walked onto the stage, dressed in his dark jeans and a white button up with a loose tie. On top of his head was a black fedora, angled rebelliously and sunglasses covered his brown eyes._

 _He took his seat on the bench just as the applause died down, and nodded to the teacher in charge of sound to cue up his track. His little fingers deftly moved over the keys, playing the opening notes just before his happy little voice joined in with the song. It was an old favorite of his parents' and every time it had come on the radio they would slow dance to it. Johnny had grown up with that song as an integral part of his life. It was the song his parents played after he went to bed; it was a song that reminded him of their love._

 _Naturally it was the song that he chose to play when he entered the school talent show. His performance was as beautiful as it could be for a small child, his little fingers dancing on the keys as he fought the smile that naturally tried to bloom on his face. He did have a cool, Billy Jackal persona to keep up after all. The rest of the track caught up with him, drowning out the piano but not his voice._

 _Suddenly the camera shifted from the boy onstage to the woman sitting in her seat, her hands clasped and her cheeks wet with the happy tears that flowed like a water spout from her golden eyes. She was mouthing the lyrics along with her son when Marcus's large hand enveloped her smaller one, bringing it to his lips so that he could bestow a slow and reverent kiss on her knuckles. Eloise smiled at her husband and then their attention turned back to their son as he jammed along to the song onstage._

 _When he finished with a little added flair on the piano, they stood up and cheered loudly, the crowd laughing when Johnny tipped his hat and then strutted off the stage like a musical bad boy. The last thing the camera showed before it stopped rolling was Eloise laughing joyfully at her son, her eyes filled with pride._

 _ **Though I know that you're not there**_

 _ **I still write you all these songs**_

 _ **It's like, you still got the right to know what's going on**_

 _ **As I struggle to remember how you used to look and sound**_

 _ **Sometimes I still think I can spot you in the crowd**_

Ash felt nostalgia hit her like a brick through a glass window and her heart dropped to her feet as memories that she had tried desperately to repress up until this point forced their way to the surface.

 _She was only seven and still filled to the brim with a hope and optimism that is all to often slaughtered in the real world. As soon as she and her foster siblings finished dinner she would sneak away from the chores up to the room that she shared with the three other girls that lived in the tiny apartment. She would leap into her tiny bed and dig her journal out from between her mattress and the box springs. She meticulously chose her favorite colored pencils and began to chronicle that day's events, adding in little pictures and designs as her innocent heart decided that they were necessary._

 _The journal was the only thing that she did consistently as her curious mind often encouraged her to try out new ways of doing things and she hungered for new experiences. Her foster home wasn't as bad as some of the ones that she had been into in the past but she still didn't feel like she belonged. None of her foster siblings wanted to play with her because of her sharp quills and her foster parents often became frustrated with the mess that she inevitably left behind when quills would come out._

 _So every night she would write in her journal and stare out the window at the night sky, the city that surrounded her, wondering where her parents were looking that night. In her mind it was an absolute fact that her parents had lost her one day and had yet to find her. Every night they must search the city, block by block, looking for their little girl. There was no way that they would just leave their little girl alone in the world, in a place where she wasn't loved._

 _In her free time Ash had learned all that she could about what having a family was like. The books that she had in her room and at school serving as her only source of information. She learned that families came in sets: two children, two parents. The dad worked and the mom stayed home and baked cookies and did chores. Ash could practically taste her mother's chocolate chip cookies. She had always heard that cookies from a mommy tasted better cause they were made with love._

 _She also learned that families lived in cute little houses and not dirty old apartments. She was very relieved to learn that her parents had a house away from the city. She did not like having to share a room with three other girls. They always complained about her quills._

 _She also learned that families were always happy. And that's how she knew that her foster parents did family wrong. They were usually unhappy with her, or each other, or sometimes her foster dad got mad at the TV. After she had exhausted every book that showed a happy little family, Ash would lay back and dream the night away, thinking about her perfect family, just waiting for her to make them whole again._

 _And so everyday she would write in her journal, a story for her parents, so that when they found her she would know how to fit back into the family, and they could learn all about her._

 _ **Every step I take, you used to lead the way**_

 _ **Now I'm terrified to face it on my own**_

 _Meena got off the school bus that day, humming happily along with the music that trickled out of the new headphones that she had gotten for her fourteenth birthday. She had practically refused to remove them since she had gotten them, they were her favorite thing in the world. She walked happily down the street towards the tiny house that she lived in with her parents, now singing softly under her breath. She turned the corner to her street and her brow furrowed in confusion when she saw cars and her father's fire engine surrounding their house._

 _For a few minutes she struggled to recall whether or not her father had a barbeque planned for tonight. That was the only reason that her house had ever been surrounded by that many cars, well that and celebrations. There wasn't a holiday today so the crew must be waiting inside for her to help get dinner started. She already began assembling a menu in her head and she picked up her pace towards her house._

 _When she got to the yard her excitement overwhelmed her shyness and she broke into a run, her stomach growling hungrily. She ran up the steps and burst into the house in a whirlwind of excitement, half expecting to be mobbed by hungry fire fighters when she walked in. As soon as the door closed behind her something in the air told her that something was off. It smelled like singed fur and the house was way too quiet with all of the crew here. She shed her backpack, letting it land on the floor with a dull thud, and wandered through the house, looking for everyone._

 _She finally found them gathered in the living room, her mother surrounded by the crew, all still wearing their gear and stinking of smoke. Meena stopped in the doorway and felt her heart sink frantically as she took in the scene before her. None of the crewmembers could seem to look her in the eyes, but before they looked away she could see the blatant grief on each of their faces._

 _It didn't hit home until she saw her mother, slumped on the couch and sobbing silently while the chief tried to comfort her. Clasped in his hands, was a familiar singed helmet. Meena felt the breath fly out of her body like it was trying to escape the realization that was dawning on her. Her brain could only process one thought; her father was nowhere to be seen._

" _Mom…" Her voice was soft, lost as her mother looked up and met her baby blues with red rimmed brown eyes, "Where's dad?"_

 _Her mother didn't answer, but the chief stood up and slowly walked towards her, "Meena honey I've got some bad news. Your dad-"_

 _In an uncharacteristically rude move Meena cut him off, her voice simultaneously hard as stone and crumbling under emotion, "Where is my father?" Her demand went unanswered as the chief continued to slowly move towards her, until he was close enough that Meena could see the tears in his eyes._

" _Meena-" He tried again but now Meena's swirling emotions created a combination of anger and despair._

" _Where is my daddy?" She asked brokenly, tears breaking free and racing down her cheeks like a waterfall. The chief wordlessly looked down at the helmet that was still clasped in his hands, too emotional at the sight of her devastation to answer._

" _Where is HE?!" She screamed, and suddenly she was wrapped up in her mother's embrace and her anger turned to sobs, the only thing that she could think to say was no. She couldn't believe it and yet the evidence was abundant that her father was gone. The two women sobbed in a tight embrace for what felt like forever before another pair of arms joined them._

 _Meena looked up to find that the chief had joined them , and one by one the other fire fighters joined in on the hug until Meena was completely surrounded by the people that she loved._

" _He was a hero sweetie." The chief whispered but Meena didn't reply, because all she could smell was smoke and all she could hear was her father's happy humming. And then she was silent, and the only thing that could be heard was her mother's sobs._

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **To celebrate the man that you made**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **To share in my success and mistakes**_

 _ **Is it fair?**_

 _ **You'll never know the person I'll be**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **With me**_

 _It was midnight and Ash snuck around her room, shoving her meager possessions into a ragged backpack. She was dressed in grunge style clothing and her face was dominated by a triumphant smirk as she stuffed cash that she had been making on the side into her suitcase. Lance had said that tonight was the night, they were finally breaking out of the hellhole that she had lived in for years. She shoved a couple more articles of clothing into her bag and instinctively lifted the corner of her mattress to stare at the journals that were lying there innocently._

 _She had been writing in them for as long as she could write, but the year that she turned thirteen, reality had finally gotten to her in the form of Lance. He had educated her on what being in the foster system meant for their chances of having a loving family of their own. He had come in like a wrecking ball and shattered every truth that she had known up until that point._

 _She had hated him for it in the beginning but then he started to teach her properly about love. He remade her by showing her how she should act if she wanted someone to love her and slowly she changed from a bright hopeful child to a sullen teenager, in love with the only ever porcupine that had decided to tell her the truth._

 _And why shouldn't she believe him? He was another porcupine, he knew her struggles with her quills and how foster parents reacted to them, and he was older, more experienced. And so she latched onto him and she learned to love him the way that he wanted her too, changed herself so that she could have that elusive sensation that she had been chasing since she was a child. To be loved._

 _She would follow him anywhere, and tonight he was an adult, and he was taking her with him into the city. Ash looked at the journals with a new level of scorn, disgusted that she used to be so naive that she thought her parents would come for her. Lance said that they were probably dead or in jail so she had focused on him, on loving him instead of pretend parents._

 _Ash gathered up the journals, her gaze still locked on the covers, all of which she had decorated with glitter and stickers. She almost opened one, her broken heart curious and yearning for the feeling of certainty that her parents were out there, that her perfect family could exist. Before she could even crack the cover the door opened quietly and Lance was standing in the doorway, his backpack thrown over one shoulder and his guitar clasped in one hand._

" _Ash. You comin' babe? We gotta hurry this up." He whispered and Ash was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts and back to her reality where the only animal that would ever love her was waiting. it was time to throw away fantasies and follow the best that she could get. She through the journals haphazardly into the garbage can and grabbed her bag._

" _Yeah I'm coming." And she left without looking back, despite the ache in her heart._

 _ **Time can heal your wounds if**_

 _ **You're strong and standing tall**_

 _ **I've been doing all of that, it didn't help at all**_

 _ **They say you'll grow older, and it'll get better still**_

 _ **Yes, I will, but no it won't**_

 _ **They don't get it,**_

 _The camera panned over a public park and landed on a picnic table where various presents, food and drink and a huge homemade cake dominated the surface. The camera showed everyone at the table including Uncle Dominic and Uncle Barry, some of Johnny's childhood friends, and his father. His father and his uncles were teasing him about becoming a man and that they got him bad presents. Johnny just laughed and wriggled away when they decided to take turns giving him noogies._

 _Johnny ran over to his friends and the camera caught them all running around the park playing with water guns and enjoying the summer day. After about an hour the kids showed signs of tiring and the camera was passed off to Johnny's father as his mom called the kids over for cake. They came sprinting back to the table like little heathens and eagerly clambered into their seats, practically bouncing at the prospect of getting sweets._

" _Alright noh you little buggers. We must sing happy birthday to the birthday boy." She admonished them and Johnny sat proudly in front of the cake, waiting for the song to begin. Eloise started it off, her soft voice bringing the rest of the party in until they reached the proper volume for the rest of the park to hear them. When the song was over Eloise cut the cake and handed out pieces to all of the kids, giving Johnny his first for luck._

 _The kids practically inhaled their cake and by the time they were ready for the parents the hand-frosted homemade cake was reduced to only a couple slices. Johnny then proceeded to open his presents, starting with his friends. He cheered happily for all of the toys and gift cards that he got, politely thanking each friend just like his mother had taught him. Finally he came to the present from his parents. It was in a long rectangular box that was almost too big for Johnny to carry._

 _Johnny tore into it, and his eyes went wide with excitement when he unearthed a brand new skateboard, still secured in its box. It was the exact one that he had been asking for all year, the top of his wish list for his birthday and Christmas. His friends gathered around to admire the skateboard as Johnny took it out of the box and held it reverently. It was a little big for him, and he would need to grow into it, but it was perfect for a growing gorilla._

 _One of the kids suddenly suggested that they go try it out and all the others cheered in agreement. Johnny rose to go with them, but hung back a second to thank his parents. He easily slipped into his mother's embrace, holding her tight as she did the same to him, "Thank ya mummy. I love it."_

" _I knew you would darling." She replied and gave him and loving kiss on the forehead. In that moment the camera was able to capture the look in her soft golden eyes as she gazed down at her baby boy like he was her entire world, like everything she knew could collapse but as long as she had her baby she would get through it. And then the moment was broken as Johnny rushed over to his dad and slammed into his legs, hugging them in a tight little grip that made Marcus chuckle_ _ **.**_

" _Thanks dad!" He exclaimed as he looked up at his father, pure love in his little brown eyes._

" _Yer welcome son. Nah go enjoy tha' thing wif yer mates." Marcus urged him on and suddenly the little boy was off like a rocket, his skateboard held victoriously over his head as if he could conquer the world with a plank of wood and four wheels._

 _ **'Cause you're not there**_

 _ **To celebrate the man that you made**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **To share in my success and mistakes**_

 _ **Is it fair?**_

 _ **You'll never know the person I'll be**_

 _ **You're not there**_

 _ **With me**_

The video ended and left the trio silent as the cuddled against each other, each one nursing their own wounds and drawing strength from their companions. The screen had been blank for an eternity before Ash finally spoke up, her voice uncharacteristically choked with emotion as she laid her head on Johnny's shoulder.

"That was…that was beautiful Johnny." She choked out and Johnny reached over to gently squeeze her hand, offering what support he could, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Johnny's grip on her hand tightened for a second and then loosened as he released a breath and warily nodded his head, "Y-Yeah. I…It's time." He sat up a little bit, trying to swallow back the knot of emotion that had taken up residence in his throat. He looked at his friends, his face vulnerable and almost childlike in his uncertainty as he began his story.

"Me mum and I were drivin' back from a piano recital one night." his eyes looked misty as he relived the memory before their very eyes, "I was asleep in the back seat…"

 _Raindrops lashed angrily at the windshield of the car as Eloise drove steadily through the streets of the city, focusing on the streetlights as indicators for where she was. The clouds had threatened downpour all day but they had held out until that night when she and Johnny were driving home from his piano recital. She cursed quietly to herself as she slowed down to squint at a nearby street sign, barely able to see through the sheets of rain coming down on them._

 _Marcus hadn't been able to come to the recital because he was working late in the garage. He had been beating himself up about it for days since he found out but Eloise had understood. They needed the money and Johnny would have other recitals that he could come to. She couldn't help but wish that he was with her tonight as she nervously drove through the deserted streets._

 _No one in their right mind was out driving in this storm but Johnny had been exhausted after the recital and had quickly fallen asleep in the back seat. Eloise was just focused on getting her son home to his bed. At the thought of her precious boy she smiled and looked back at him in the rearview mirror. He was so peaceful, passed out against the window, his breath fogging up the glass._

 _Suddenly another car came out of nowhere and rammed into the passenger side of their car so hard that the sound was practically deafening. Eloise frantically tried to look back at her son, not even paying attention to the fact that the car was rolling violently and her old seatbelt was fraying with each turn. The last thing she saw was Johnny's frightened brown eyes snapping open from sleep to the horror. And then her head hit the pavement._

Johnny lifted up his shirt to reveal the scar that ran down the length of his torso, barely concealed by his thick black hair. Ash winced sympathetically and Meena gasped aloud, her tentative hand coming out to touch it gently, soothingly. Johnny felt a warm feeling radiate out from where she touched and he reluctantly watched her withdraw her hand, taking the warm feeling with her.

"I got this from a piece of the window, broke me arm and I got a concussion." He sighed and pulled his shirt down back into place, "But me mum lost 'er life." His voice was hoarse from crying and though the pain of losing his mother was still real and painful it felt better knowing that the two people closest to him knew about it.

The girls immediately pulled him back down into their cuddle pile and they silently embrace each other for a second before Meena found her voice, trying in her own way to show Johnny that she understood his pain, that she had felt it and still did, "M-m-my dad died in the line of duty. H-he was a… he was a f-firefighter."

"I never knew my parents." Ash chimed in as well, every inch of her stubborn tough girl persona screaming at her to keep her pain inside where no one could ever see it, despite the good feeling that releasing it brought. Their tight circle of comfort seemed to grow closer as they revealed their hurts, finally letting their new family see the scars that covered their heart. Tears were shed on both sides as emotions were spilled out and sorrows were shared, their connection thrumming stronger with each word or action. After a few hours they were all empty of tears, their emotions drained and their past hurts reduced to a dull throb. in healing Johnny the girls were surprised to find that they had found healing as well.

"We all lost someone." Meena finally whispered as she clasped both of their hands and brought them to her heart, "But we found each other. I know for a fact, **that it was always you guys that I was looking for.** " She gave them a meaningful look, which they both returned.

Words ceased and the rest of the day was spent eating takeout, watching movies, and just being together, letting their friendship banish the demons that lurked in the shadows.


End file.
